Irish Lotto has changed — and if you have played the game before September 2026, some of the rules you remember are now out of date.
Numbers 46 and 47 have officially been removed from the Lotto draw.
The main game has changed from 6 numbers from 47 to 6 numbers from 45.
That seemingly small change has improved the odds of winning the jackpot from approximately 1 in 10.7 million to approximately 1 in 8.1 million.
There is another major change too.
Irish Lotto is no longer only a Wednesday and Saturday lottery.
There are now three Lotto draws every week: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
The first draw under the new format took place on Saturday, 5 September 2026, followed by the first-ever Monday Lotto draw on 7 September.
Here is everything MagicLotto customers need to know about the new Irish Lotto.
What Changed in Irish Lotto in September 2026?
The Irish National Lottery introduced several changes at the same time.
- The number pool reduced from 47 balls to 45 balls.
- Numbers 46 and 47 were retired.
- Jackpot odds improved from approximately 1 in 10.7 million to 1 in 8.1 million.
- A new Monday Lotto draw was introduced.
- Irish Lotto is now drawn three times every week.
- The Lotto Plus 2 top prize increased from €250,000 to €1 million.
- The official Irish ticket price remained unchanged.
These are the first major changes to the Irish Lotto game in eight years.
Is Irish Lotto Now 6/45?
Yes.
The current Irish Lotto main game requires six numbers from:
1 to 45
Before September 2026, players selected six numbers from 1 to 47.
That old 6/47 format is now obsolete.
The final Irish Lotto draw containing balls 46 and 47 took place on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
From the draw on Saturday, 5 September, only numbers 1 through 45 remained in the drum.
What Happened to Irish Lotto Numbers 46 and 47?
They were officially retired from the main Lotto game.
This means numbers 46 and 47 can no longer appear as winning Irish Lotto numbers under the current format.
If you previously used a favourite combination containing either number, that old selection is no longer a valid six-number combination for the current Irish Lotto game.
You will need to replace those numbers with selections from 1 to 45.
Why Did Irish Lotto Remove Two Balls?
The principal mathematical effect is straightforward:
fewer possible combinations.
Under the old 6/47 format, there were:
10,737,573
possible six-number combinations.
Under the new 6/45 format, there are:
8,145,060
possible six-number combinations.
Reducing the pool by only two balls therefore removes more than 2.59 million possible jackpot combinations.
That is why the jackpot odds improve so noticeably.
What Are the New Irish Lotto Jackpot Odds?
The current jackpot odds are approximately:
1 in 8,145,060
Previously, they were:
1 in 10,737,573
That means the new game offers materially better jackpot odds than the old 47-ball game.
It is important to put that improvement into perspective, however.
A probability of 1 in 8.1 million still represents an extremely difficult outcome.
No number-selection method, system, hot-number pattern or prediction can guarantee a jackpot win.
How Much Better Are the New Irish Lotto Odds?
Comparing the number of possible jackpot combinations shows the scale of the change.
| Irish Lotto Format | Possible Jackpot Combinations | Jackpot Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Old 6/47 game | 10,737,573 | 1 in 10,737,573 |
| New 6/45 game | 8,145,060 | 1 in 8,145,060 |
The change removes approximately 24.1% of the possible jackpot combinations that existed under the old format.
That does not mean an individual entry has a good chance of winning the jackpot.
It means the probability is better than it was under the previous Irish Lotto rules.
You can explore how different lottery number matrices affect probability using the MagicLotto Lottery Calculator.
When Is Irish Lotto Drawn Now?
Irish Lotto now has three regular draws every week:
- Monday
- Wednesday
- Saturday
The Monday draw is completely new.
The first Monday Irish Lotto draw took place on 7 September 2026.
Before the change, regular Lotto draws took place only on Wednesday and Saturday.
That means there are now approximately 50% more regular Lotto draw nights during a typical week.
Remember that adding another draw does not improve the probability of one individual line winning one particular draw. It simply provides another separate draw opportunity during the week.
Did Irish Lotto Become More Expensive?
No.
The Irish National Lottery confirmed that the domestic game price did not increase as part of the September changes.
In Ireland, the minimum purchase remains two Lotto lines for €4.
Two Lotto lines with Lotto Plus continue to cost €6 domestically.
MagicLotto customers should always use the current price displayed on MagicLotto when entering an international draw because the ticket-messenger service includes the applicable ticket and service costs.
Did the Odds Improve Only for the Jackpot?
No.
The Irish National Lottery states that reducing the number pool from 47 to 45 improves the odds across every prize tier in Lotto, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2.
This makes the change broader than simply altering the jackpot probability.
The number matrix itself has become smaller throughout the Lotto family of draws.
What Changed With Lotto Plus 2?
Lotto Plus 2 received one of the most significant prize changes.
Its top prize increased from:
€250,000
to:
€1 million.
Lotto Plus 1 already offered a €1 million top prize and remains at that level.
Under the official Irish game, someone playing Lotto with Lotto Plus therefore participates in:
- the main Lotto draw;
- Lotto Plus 1; and
- Lotto Plus 2.
Each is a separate draw with its own winning outcome.
Does Irish Lotto Now Have Three Chances to Become a Millionaire?
For an eligible official Irish Lotto with Lotto Plus entry, there are three separate top-prize opportunities associated with a draw night:
- the main Lotto jackpot;
- the €1 million Lotto Plus 1 top prize; and
- the €1 million Lotto Plus 2 top prize.
That does not mean one entry has a guaranteed or likely million-euro win.
Each result remains governed by its own lottery odds.
Are Old Irish Lotto Number Guides Now Out of Date?
Many of them are.
If an Irish Lotto article tells you to select six numbers from 1 to 47, it is describing the old game.
If it says draws happen only on Wednesday and Saturday, it is also outdated.
For the current game, remember:
6 numbers from 1–45
and:
Monday + Wednesday + Saturday.
This is particularly important when using old number generators, saved selections, screenshots or third-party lottery guides.
What If My Saved Irish Lotto Numbers Include 46 or 47?
A saved combination containing 46 or 47 cannot be used unchanged for the current 6/45 game.
Those numbers are outside the new valid range.
Replace them with valid selections between 1 and 45 before submitting the entry.
If you maintain favourite or lucky-number combinations, this is a good time to review them and make sure they comply with the current rules.
Does Removing 46 and 47 Make Lower Numbers More Likely?
No valid number from 1 to 45 is inherently more likely than another valid number.
Each ball in the current draw pool has the same opportunity to be selected under the random draw process.
The important change is that there are now only 45 possible main numbers instead of 47.
That reduces the total number of combinations.
Are Irish Lotto Hot Numbers More Useful After the Change?
No.
Historical statistics can be interesting, but they do not predict an independent future lottery draw.
There is also an additional consideration following a major number-matrix change.
Statistics covering the old 47-ball era were generated under a different game format from today's 45-ball game.
Numbers 46 and 47 no longer exist in the active pool at all.
If you enjoy studying historical lottery data, visit MagicLotto Hot & Cold Numbers, but treat previous frequency as historical information rather than a prediction.
Is QuickPick Better Under the New Irish Lotto?
No.
A randomly generated valid six-number combination has exactly the same jackpot probability as a combination you select manually.
The important requirement is simply that the combination now contains six valid numbers from 1 to 45.
The draw does not know whether your numbers were selected randomly, chosen from birthdays or picked because they are personal favourites.
Does a Bigger Irish Lotto Jackpot Improve Your Odds?
No.
The jackpot may grow when nobody matches all six main numbers, but the number matrix remains the same.
Every valid individual combination under the current format faces jackpot odds of:
1 in 8,145,060.
A larger jackpot changes the potential prize, not the mathematical probability of your chosen six-number combination being drawn.
How Do Irish Lotto Odds Compare With Other International Lotteries?
Irish Lotto's new jackpot odds are considerably shorter than many of the world's enormous multinational lotteries.
That is largely because Irish Lotto uses a relatively compact six-from-45 number matrix.
Games such as EuroMillions, EuroJackpot, US PowerBall and Mega Millions use larger or multiple number pools and therefore have very different jackpot probabilities.
This illustrates an important point when comparing lotteries:
the largest jackpot is not necessarily the lottery with the best jackpot odds.
You can browse the international and South African lotteries available through MagicLotto to compare the different games.
Can South Africans Play Irish Lotto Through MagicLotto?
Yes.
Irish Lotto is one of the supported international lottery games available through MagicLotto's independent ticket-messenger service.
For supported foreign lotteries, genuine official tickets are procured and held abroad through the applicable Foreign Ticket Agent, subject to availability and applicable law.
If you are new to MagicLotto, the MagicLotto Help Centre explains international lottery participation, results, winnings and account management.
How Do I Check Irish Lotto Results?
After each Monday, Wednesday and Saturday draw, you can browse the MagicLotto Lottery Results hub for the latest supported international lottery results.
MagicLotto customers also have their stored entries checked when results are processed and are notified of winnings.
If you are checking numbers manually, make sure the result you are viewing is dated 5 September 2026 or later before assuming the current 6/45 rules apply.
Are Irish Lotto Winnings Taxed?
Irish lottery prizes are generally paid without Irish lottery tax being deducted from the prize itself.
That does not necessarily mean all future financial consequences of a large win are tax-free.
For example, investment income subsequently generated from lottery winnings may have its own tax treatment depending on the winner's circumstances and country of residence.
For general information, see the MagicLotto Lottery Tax Guide.
Anyone fortunate enough to win a substantial international prize should obtain professional tax and financial advice appropriate to their circumstances.
Irish Lotto New Rules 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
How many numbers are in Irish Lotto now?
Irish Lotto now uses 45 main numbers. You select six numbers from 1 to 45.
When did Irish Lotto change from 47 to 45 numbers?
The first draw using the new 45-ball format took place on Saturday, 5 September 2026.
Can numbers 46 and 47 still be drawn?
No. Numbers 46 and 47 were retired after the final 47-ball draw on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
What are the new Irish Lotto jackpot odds?
The current jackpot odds are approximately 1 in 8,145,060, improved from approximately 1 in 10.7 million under the old 6/47 format.
Why did the jackpot odds improve?
Reducing the pool from 47 numbers to 45 reduces the number of possible six-number combinations from 10,737,573 to 8,145,060.
When is Irish Lotto drawn?
Irish Lotto is now drawn every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Is Monday a new Irish Lotto draw day?
Yes. The first Monday Lotto draw took place on 7 September 2026.
Did the Irish Lotto ticket price increase?
No. The Irish National Lottery confirmed that the domestic Lotto and Lotto Plus game prices remained unchanged when the new rules were introduced.
What is the Lotto Plus 2 top prize now?
The Lotto Plus 2 top prize increased from €250,000 to €1 million.
Does Lotto Plus 1 still pay €1 million?
Yes. The Lotto Plus 1 top prize remains €1 million.
Are old Irish Lotto guides still correct?
Any guide describing Irish Lotto as a 6/47 game or listing only Wednesday and Saturday draws is now out of date.
Can South Africans play Irish Lotto through MagicLotto?
Yes. Irish Lotto is among the international lottery games supported through MagicLotto's independent ticket-messenger service.
The Bottom Line
The Irish Lotto of September 2026 is a significantly different game from the one players knew only a few weeks earlier.
The number pool has fallen from 47 to 45.
Numbers 46 and 47 are gone.
The jackpot odds have improved from approximately 1 in 10.7 million to 1 in 8.1 million.
There is now a Monday draw in addition to Wednesday and Saturday.
And Lotto Plus 2's top prize has increased from €250,000 to €1 million.
The official domestic ticket price did not increase as part of the change.
For existing Irish Lotto players, the most important action is simple: update any old saved number combinations containing 46 or 47 and remember that there are now three draw nights every week.
Better odds still do not mean easy odds. Irish Lotto remains a random game of chance, and no selection strategy can guarantee a winning result.
Explore Irish Lotto With MagicLotto
Irish Lotto is available as part of MagicLotto's range of supported international lottery games.
Browse the current lottery draws available through MagicLotto and select the game and draw that suits you.
After the draw, visit the MagicLotto Results hub to follow the latest winning numbers.
MagicLotto is an independent lottery ticket-messenger service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Irish National Lottery or Premier Lotteries Ireland. For supported foreign lotteries, genuine official tickets are procured and held abroad under the applicable Foreign Ticket Agency Mandate, subject to availability and applicable law. Lottery games involve chance and winning is never guaranteed. 18+ only. Please play responsibly.