How to Play Vikinglotto? 4 Steps for Beginners

If you live in Norway, Finland, Sweden or even Latvia it may be time to try your luck at the ever-popular Vikinglotto. Established in 1993, the minimum jackpot is €3 million and the maximum is an impressive €25 million. It’s no wonder then that this lottery is so popular in the countries that participate in it.

Furthermore, prize money that isn’t won is rolled over every week, increasing your chances of a huge windfall. Keep reading to find out just how easy it is to not only play but win at the Vikinglotto.

What You Should Know Before Playing the Vikinglotto

Viking Lotto

What is The Legal Age to Play the Vikinglotto?

In seven of the 10 participating countries, players need to be 18 years of age to play or retrieve any winnings. However, for younger people eager to try their hand at the game, you can play from 16 years of age in both Lithuania and Estonia.

Odds of Winning the Vikinglotto

Typically, the odds of winning the Vikinglotto jackpot is an estimated 1 in 61,357,560. The overall odds of winning a prize from one of the other tiers are about 1 in 15,339,390 but this of course depends on whether or not you have the matching Viking number! It’s also worth noting that odds may vary, based on the country you’re playing from. Here’s a breakdown of the odds you can expect.

Numbers Matched Odds of Winning Estimated Prize Winnings
6 + 1 Viking number 1:98,172,096 Jackpot (minimum €3 million, maximum € 25 million)
6 1:14,024, 585 Shared prize
5 + 1 Viking number 1:389,572 Set by individual participating countries
5 1:55,653 Set by individual participating countries
4 + 1 Viking number 1:7,601 Set by individual participating countries
4 1:1,086 Set by individual participating countries
3 + 1 Viking number 1:428 Set by individual participating countries
3 1:61 Set by individual participating countries
2 +1 Viking number 1:58 Set by individual participating countries
2 1:8 Set by individual participating countries

Price of The Tickets

The price of each ticket depends on the country you’re playing from. The table below gives a breakdown of the cost in each of the 10 countries that play this lotto.

Country Current Price
Norway 80 kr
Finland €1 + €0.50 for Plus number
Denmark 6 kr – minimum two lines
Sweden 10 kr
Iceland 110 kr
Lithuania €1 for two lines
Slovenia €1.10
Estonia €1.50
Latvia €1
Belgium Belgium €10 – You receive all five Viking numbers

Times the Draw Takes Place

The Vikinglotto draw takes place once weekly on Wednesday shortly after 20:00 CET. Based out of the Norsk Tipping headquarters in Hamar, Norway, the ticket sales close at varying times depending on the country being played from. The times to keep in mind include the following:

  • 18:00 CET: Norway, Sweden, Slovenia, Belgium, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania
  • 17:55 CET: Denmark
  • 17:00 CET: Iceland

Where Can You Play the Vikinglotto?

Tickets for the Vikinglotto can be purchased from authorized retailers in any of the 10 countries that participate in this lottery. Many people, however, prefer the convenience of playing the lotto via their favorite online lottery betting site.

Players living in Norway, Finland and Sweden can also register for a “player card.” To register for this, you will have to provide proof of identity, contact information as well as details of your local bank account.

The Biggest Jackpot Ever Won on the Vikinglotto

One of the top reasons the Vikinglotto is so popular is that every so often it has remarkable winnings! The largest jackpot ever won in this lottery happened in 2016 and was split between two winning tickets.

The second largest prize was won by a woman from Oslo after a six-month rollover with no jackpot winner. The lucky player won an incredible €35,367,365 in 2017! A Norwegian man was fortunate enough to be the sole winner of the third biggest Vikinglotto prize in April 2018 after taking home an impressive windfall of €33,251,902. In 2021, the maximum lottery prize changed from €35 million to €25 million. 

It’s clear that Vikinglotto doesn’t carry the huge jackpots some international lotteries have on offer. Just think of the higher numbers associated with Powerball and MegaMillions. This makes it worth using lottery agents like TheLotter to enter and have a chance to win those substantial prizes. But VikingLotto’s relatively low ticket price will always make it a popular one for locals and international players.

4 Steps for Beginners to Play the Vikinglotto

As with many other lottery games on offer from your top betting app, Vikinglotto is easier to play than you might think. Ease of play and large prizes make it a firm favorite of beginners who live in one of the 10 participating countries. It’s as simple as following these simple steps.

Step 1: Decide Where You’re Going to Play

If you’re living in one of the 10 participating countries, the first step is to decide how you’re going to play. You can either buy tickets from a local retailer or play via your favorite online betting platform.

It’s worth keeping in mind that playing online is not only more convenient but safer as well. There’s no need to stand in lines at a local retailer and there’s absolutely no risk of losing your ticket.

Step 2: Choose Your Numbers

The next step is to decide on the number of tickets you’re going to buy as well as the numbers you’re going to play. Essentially, you need to choose six main numbers between 1 and 48. You also need to choose one Viking number (bonus number) between 1 and 5.

Since the main numbers and the Viking number are chosen from two different pools, it means you can choose the same number twice–once as a main number and once as a Viking or bonus number. If you’re not sure what criteria to use to pick your lucky numbers, consider a few of our tips discussed later in the article.

Choose Your Numbers at Viking Lotto

Source: 24Lottos

Step 3: Watch the Draw

Once you’ve bought your tickets, it’s time to sit back and watch the draw. If you’re unable to watch the draw live, you can easily see the draw Vikinglotto results on your betting site as they’ll be updated immediately. Additionally, if you’ve opted to play online, the site will notify you via email if you have won anything.

Step 4: Claim Your Prize

If you’ve won a prize, the next step will be to collect your winnings. Once again, online players will have their winnings automatically credited to their online profiles. Keep in mind that the amount that can be transferred will be determined by the country you’re playing in. The following payout criteria apply.

Country Playing From Process to Claim
Norway
  • Prizes up to 9,999 kr will be paid directly into your online player account.
  • Any prizes above 10,000 kr must be paid into your verified bank account in the country you’re playing in.
Sweden
  • Prizes up to 4,999,999 kr are paid directly into your online player account.
  • Anything above 5,000,000 must be claimed via the lottery provider–Svenska Spel–to initiate the necessary claim process. Proof of identity will be required.
Slovenia
  • Any online winnings will be credited to your online account whereas tickets bought at local retailers will be honored at the lottery headquarters in Ljubljana.
Lithuania
  • All prizes between €144 and €999 will be credited to your player account.
  • Prizes larger than €1,000 must be claimed via the Vilnius lottery headquarters.
Latvia
  • Any winnings between €149 and €2,999 are paid directly into the players’ account.
  • Prizes higher than €3,000 must be collected via the Riga lottery office.
Iceland
  • Any prizes below 24,999 kr are paid directly into player’s accounts.
  • Prizes higher than 25,000 kr are paid out via the claims process at the Íslensk Getspá lottery office.
Finland
  • Anything smaller than €10,000 is paid directly into your account.
  • Larger prizes must be claimed via the Veikkaus lottery headquarters.
Estonia
  • Prizes higher than €2,000 must be claimed via the local claims process.
Denmark
  • Prizes above 10,000 kr can only be claimed from a local broker or partner bank.
Belgium
  • Prize winnings of up to €500 are credited to your account automatically.
  • For prizes above €25,000, players can collect winnings via the Belgian National Lottery headquarters in Brussels.

Tips on How to Win the Vikinglotto

Beginners often search for a bunch of different strategies to increase their odds of winning the jackpot or one of the other tier prizes. For starters, they may spend some time learning the tips and tricks used by other regular players who have previously won. To simplify this process, we’ve compiled a few of the more popular hacks that can easily improve your winning odds. Keep reading to find out what they are.

Tip 1: Invest in More Tickets

The easiest way to increase your odds is by buying more tickets. This is because every additional line you purchase gives you a considerably better chance of winning one of the top prizes.

Tip 2: Find a Local Syndicate

Typically, a lottery syndicate is made up of a group of people who pool their resources to buy more tickets into the lottery. By joining a syndicate you increase your chances of winning the jackpot or one of the top tier prizes.

Since you’re sharing the cost of the tickets, you’ll also have to share the winnings with other syndicate members. Syndicates can be arranged between friends, co-workers or even local community groups. If you’re playing via your trusted online betting site, the good news is that you can easily find an online syndicate.

Tip 3: Try Out a Few Lottery Apps

Players who prefer an electronic approach to their strategies enjoy the various lottery applications that you can easily access via your smart device. Essentially, Lottery Number Generator Apps work by generating a range of combinations based on previous winning numbers and potential algorithms.

Using these apps prevents you from having to guess the numbers you want to play each week. It’s also an exceptionally easy way for beginners to get used to the various patterns that can be chosen for potential combinations.

Tip 4: Wheeling Systems are Equally Popular

If you’re not the type of player who wants to leave your entire game to chance or luck of the draw, you might be interested in trying out various wheeling systems. These systems enable players to bet on large groups of numbers by using scientifically calculated combinations.

Apparently, the more numbers you choose to wheel, the better your chances are of picking the winning combination. Some experienced players recommend opting to wheel four or five numbers for higher success rates.

Final Thought

With a minimum jackpot of €3 million and a maximum of €25 million, there are plenty of reasons to try your luck at the Vikinglotto. That is of course, if you live in one of the 10 participating countries! It’s as simple as signing up with your favorite online betting site and using a few of our tips to get you started.

FAQs

Are Vikinglotto winnings taxed?

Primarily, only Latvia and Slovenia tax their lottery winnings for the Vikinglotto. Since tax rules and regulations vary depending on the regulations of the country you’re playing for, it’s a good idea to always verify before playing.

Which countries take part in the Vikinglotto?

There are currently 10 countries that take part in the Vikinglotto. The cost per ticket varies in each country. These participating countries are listed as:

  • Norway
  • Finland
  • Denmark
  • Sweden
  • Iceland
  • Lithuania
  • Slovenia
  • Estonia
  • Latvia
  • Belgium

How long do prize winners have to claim any Vikinglotto winnings?

The period to claim the prize winnings depends on which country you’re playing from as well as the amount you have won. Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland have a one-year limit to collect winnings. For Lithuania, the limit is 60 days whereas Latvia only allows 30 days to collect any winnings. Players from Slovenia and Estonia have a 90-day limit to collect prize money.

What happens to prize money that isn’t won?

When the jackpot isn’t won, the prize money is rolled over until it reaches its cap of €25 million.

Are all the Vikinglotto numbers drawn from the same pool?

There are two pools from which the balls are drawn. Pool one features eight numbers between 1 and 48. Pool two is where the Viking numbers between 1 and 8 are drawn from. Since there are two pools, it means that the Viking number drawn can be the same as one of the main numbers from pool one.

What is the general jackpot prize for the Vikinglotto?

The minimum guaranteed jackpot starts at €3 million and is capped at €25 million. If the jackpot is won, the following draw will start at €3 million again.

Does the Vikinglotto have a jackpot cap?

Both the jackpot and second-tier prizes have a cap of €25 million. If the capped jackpot isn’t won, the additional funds over €25 million are then transferred down to distribute among the winners of the second tier. Essentially, the second-tier can never be higher than the jackpot, which will never be more than the maximum €25 million.