How to Play the France Loto? 3 Steps for Beginners

The France Loto is one of the more popular lotteries across many platforms. With three draw days and reasonable odds, it’s easy to see why. Also, with nine tiers that all offer at least some sort of prize, many players feel they stand a better chance of winning something compared to some other major lotteries.

If you’re thinking of trying your luck at the France Loto, then this post is for you! In addition to taking a look at the odds and potential winnings, we’ll also be highlighting the simple steps to get you started. Furthermore, we’ll answer a few popular FAQs many first-time players often ask. Keep reading to see how you can become one of the many France Loto winners!

What You Should Know Before Playing the France Loto

Age to Play the France Loto

The France Loto, as with any other lottery in France, stipulates that all entrants must be at least 18 years of age to play. Since playing the France Loto is not permitted for younger players, it also means that winnings can only be collected by someone 18 or older.

Odds of Winning

Many players who try their hands at many different lotteries agree that the France Loto is not only easy to play but also has significantly better odds than some other popular lotteries. With an expected overall odds of winning anything being 1 in 6 it’s worth a try.

Here’s a simple breakdown of the odds to expect, along with prize information.

Numbers Matched Odds of Winning Prize Fund%
5 + Chance 1 in 19,068,840 Jackpot that starts at €2 million
5 1 in 2,118,760 8,44%
4 + Chance 1 in 88,677 2,06%
4 1 in 9,631 7,43%
3 + Chance 1 in 2,016 4,44%
3 1 in 224 15,98%
2 + Chance 1 in 144 12,43%
2 1 in 16 49,22%
1 + Chance 1 in 28 €2,20 (fixed)
0 + Chance 1 in 18 €2,20 (fixed)

Price of Tickets

Typically, the price of a France Loto ticket is €2,20 per line and can be bought online and at authorized retailers.

When Draws Take Place

The France Loto takes place three times per week–Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. The draw takes place at 8:20 pm local time. If you happen to miss the draws, you can review the prize winnings on the France Loto official website. You’ll also be able to see the France Loto results on lottery sites like WinTrillions or TheLotter.

Where can You Play France Loto?

If you’re local, France Loto can be played at authorized retailers. Players who play often recommend playing online because it’s significantly easier. There are a few top advantages to playing online:

  • You don’t have to stand in long queues to buy your tickets.
  • Winners are notified via email after the draw.
  • There’s no risk of losing your ticket since your chosen numbers are stored on your account profile.
  • Winnings are paid into your online account, so there’s no need to go from pillar to post trying to retrieve your prize money.
  • Thanks to lottery agents and lottery sites, you can play from almost anywhere in the world.

The Biggest Jackpot Ever Won on France Loto

It’s not uncommon for players new to a particular lottery game to check the history of the previous winners. After all, you want to get an idea of the prize you could potentially win. That said, the France Loto doesn’t disappoint. Here’s a breakdown of the top prizes in the lottery’s history.

  • €24 million: June 6, 2011.
  • €23 million: May 19, 2014.
  • €22 million: July 13, 2013.
  • €19 million: May 15, 2013.
  • €19 million: February 5, 2009.
  • €18 million: January 23, 2017.

3 Steps for Beginners to Play the France Loto

France Loto has been around for quite a while and has been creating winners since 1976. By being 72% government-owned, this particular lottery game is managed by the Française des Jeux, the country’s largest lottery operator.

This lottery starts with a guaranteed minimum of €2 million and can be rolled over as many as 24 times if there’s no winner.

Since all prizes are 100% tax-free it means you get to enjoy your whole prize. Also, as a 10-tier lottery, there’s a higher chance of you getting at least a small win! That said, here are a few simple steps to get you started on the road to big winnings.

Step 1: Choose How You’re Going to Play

The first deciding factor is to choose how you’re going to play. You can either opt to play by visiting an accredited local retailer. Alternatively, you can play from around the globe via one of many online platforms. As we’ve already mentioned, opting for the online option has a bunch of benefits that include simplicity and security.

Step 2: Pick your Lucky Numbers

Newcomers will appreciate the simplicity of the France Loto. All you have to do is pick five lucky numbers between 1 and 49. You also need to choose a Chance number between 1 and 10. To win the jackpot, you need to match all 6 of your chosen numbers.

If you only match 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 with the Chance number, you can win the prize on the matching tier. This means you can win big even if you don’t match all six numbers!

Step 3: Understanding What to Do if You Win

All winnings are paid out as a lump sum. The France Loto doesn’t have an option for yearly installments as you might find with some other lotteries. Winners have a period of 60 days to claim their prize money before it defaults back to the lottery.

If your purchase was made online, you will receive an email from the relevant betting agent to advise you of your prize and they will inform you of the necessary steps to take to claim your money.

Tips on How to Win the France Loto

Everyone who plays any type of lottery game hopes for ideas, tips and tricks that will bring you closer to that awesome jackpot prize. Players of the France Loto are no different. We’ve compiled a list of some of the more common tips to help you improve your chances of winning the France Loto.

Tip 1: More Entries

It may sound obvious to regular players, however, we need to highlight this point for newbies. Opting to buy more tickets is a sure way to increase your odds of winning one of the 10 prizes on offer.

With a draw that happens three times per week, you’ll increase your chances to about 150 chances per year to become a winner.

Another common trick is to enter multiple draws. Keep in mind that more entries will require more initial capital, so budget accordingly.

Tip 2: Play Regularly

Another obvious pointer is that you need to play often. With three draws every week, it’s relatively easy to give yourself several chances each week to win big.

Keep in mind that if you don’t have time to purchase tickets, you can use the advanced play system on online lottery sites like LottoGo, or even subscription features to purchase tickets for multiple draws. The more tickets you purchase for different draws, the better your chances will be of winning anything.

Tip 3: Use the Law of Probability

The France Loto, like other lotteries, is completely random. That means it’s highly unlikely that five consecutive numbers form part of a winning combination.

When choosing your numbers, always stick to the law of probability. Essentially, the law of probability measures the likelihood of the same event occurring twice in short succession. When you apply this to your lottery game, the general probability is that the lottery also won’t choose the same numbers in different draws. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to mix odd, even, high, low, hot and cold numbers to choose your winning numbers.

Don’t be afraid to choose numbers you wouldn’t ordinarily consider. The randomness of the game will play in your favor.

Tip 4: Consider Lottery Number Generator Apps

Essentially, number-generating apps do exactly what their names imply. They generate numbers based on the law of probability and previous lotto combinations. It’s an excellent way for beginners to get the help they need to generate more accurate combinations.

Along with lottery apps, these handy apps make lottery playing fun and effective, even on the go.

Tip 5: Consider Lottery Software

In addition to number-generating apps, you may also want to consider lottery software. The primary function of these types of lottery software is to analyze previous draws and look for similar statistical patterns This will help you determine statistical patterns of specific numbers and combinations. You’ll also be able to narrow down the probability of hot or cold numbers being in the mix. Using this info will help you create your out-of-the-box combinations.

Tip 6: Opt for Joining a Syndicate

Typically, a lottery syndicate involves a group of people pooling their funds together to buy more tickets. As we’ve already mentioned, having more tickets equals more chances of winning. An advantage of joining a syndicate is that you can purchase many more tickets without having to fork out the full amount.

Keep in mind that the winnings are also split among all the syndicate members.

More good news is that it’s easy to find legit syndicates online if you’re an online player. If you’re purchasing tickets from a local retailer, verify the validity of any community syndicates before joining.

Tip 7: Try the Pick 3 Strategy

If you’re looking for a more technical strategy, you may want to opt for the Pick 3 strategy. Essentially, this method suggests the player choose numbers that appear in every combination. You may have to do some research to find enough numbers to make up your combination.

This is an excellent way for beginners to get into the different strategies that help determine potential winning combinations. Once you have mastered the Pick 3 strategy, you can move up to the more advanced Pick 4 and Pick 5 strategies.

* Recommended sites to buy your first France Loto tickets:

Final Thought

The France Loto is both fun and challenging at the same time. By combining our tips with your lucky streak, you will be well on your way to choosing a winning combination and enjoying your prize.

FAQs

What was the largest France Loto Jackpot ever won?

The biggest jackpot won on the France Loto was won by a single ticket holder in June 2011. The amount won was a remarkable €24 million!

How can players play the France Loto online?

The France Loto is popular worldwide and can be played by players living anywhere! It’s as simple as signing up with reputable lottery agents and lottery sites such as theLotter, LottoAgent and WinTrillions.

Is there a tax that should be paid on the France Loto winnings?

Another fun benefit of winning any of the France Loto tier winnings is that you don’t pay tax in France, Belgium, Austria, Ireland, the UK, and Luxembourg. That means you’ll always receive your full winning amount. If you’re not living in one of these countries, you may have to pay a winning tax based on your own country’s tax policies.

Does the France Loto have a minimum jackpot?

The minimum jackpot of France Loto is €2 million and boasts a subsequent €1 million added to the jackpot with each draw if the big prize isn’t won. This means the jackpot grows very quickly and increases the odds of winning quite considerably.

What are the top numbers that have been chosen in the France Loto in the last year?

Typically, the most common numbers (hot numbers) of the France Loto include the following:

  • 42
  • 22
  • 31
  • 9
  • 19

What does the France Loto raffle involve?

In addition to there being the different tier prizes you can win, there’s also the France Loto Raffle. It’s made up of 10 guaranteed prizes of €20,000 that’s given away as part of the raffle. Every lottery entrant is automatically entered into the raffle when they purchase a ticket. Once again, the odds of winning in the raffle depend on the number of entries per draw. But it’s good news that you have yet another shot at winning!

What happens if no one wins the jackpot?

The France Loto has a roll-over limit of 34. That means the prize money will roll over for the next draw but it can only happen 34 times. Still, that’s a lot of draws, so the jackpot payout can be considerably high, making it even more enticing to start playing, right?