VikingLotto: Rules, Price & Odds
Name | VikingLotto | Ticket Price | €1 |
Draw | Wed | Biggest Won | €44 Million |
Winning Odds | 1 in 61.357.560 | Countries | Europe |
VikingLotto is the oldest among all the multi-national European lotteries you can currently participate in. It started the concept in 1993 with the participation of the Scandinavian countries. Hence, the "Viking" in the name.n Since then, the lottery has expanded to include other countries. It is currently available in 10 countries, including Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, Belgium, etc. Learn in this article why this lottery has been able to remain relevant and expand over so many years. You might even find the impetus to start playing VikingLotto yourself.
How to Play VikingLotto?
If you have played the other multi-national European lotteries like EuroMillions and Eurojackpot, then you are familiar with online lottery games for real money. In that case, you should not have much trouble coming to terms with VikingLotto rules and gameplay. The initial steps are almost identical.
The first thing you need to do is go online or to a VikingLotto retail point to select your numbers. You must select six numbers from within 1-48 and 1 additional "Viking" number between 1-8.
You can select the same number twice because the raw and Viking numbers are drawn from distinct and independent pools. The computer system can automatically generate these numbers for you, or you can choose them yourself.
Furthermore, you can enter into multiple draws with the same ticket. And you can also make a system entry or a system bet. A system bet is basically when you choose multiple combinations of numbers. After making all your selections, there is nothing else for you to do except keep your ticket safe and wait for the draw. The rest is down to your luck.
Rules of VikingLotto
You have to meet minimum age requirements if you want to participate in VikingLotto. You need to be at least 18 years old, except if you live in either Estonia or Lithuania. You can participate if you are over the age of 16 if you live in those two countries.
You can purchase a VikingLotto ticket if you are above the minimum age. Once you have purchased the ticket, you need to get all the numbers correct to win the jackpot prize. Correcting the five numbers plus the Viking number will land you the jackpot prize.
If you only fail because your Viking number did not match, but the other five did, you will be eligible for the second prize. Furthermore, there are unique rules that govern the accumulation of the VikingLotto prize pool. They are quite different from what you will find in other European lotteries like EuroMillions or Eurojackpot.
The first (jackpot) and second prizes are shared equally between the participating nations. In other words, every country contributes to the common prize pool and gets an equal share of the prize. On the other hand, the other prize tiers have individual country-specific prize pools and limits.
Odds to Win the Prizes
The odds to win the VikingLotto jackpot prize is 1 in 61,357,560. At the same time, the odds of winning the second biggest prize is 1 in 15,339,390. Furthermore, the odds of winning any of the eight prizes in the lottery is 1 in 21. Refer to the table below for a more detailed picture of the odds of winning in each of the eight prize categories in VikingLotto.
Prize Tier | Numbers Matched | Odds of Winning |
---|---|---|
1 (Jackpot) | Match 6 + Viking Number | 1 in 61,357,560 |
2 | Match 6 | 1 in 15,339,390 |
3 | Match 5 + Viking Number | 1 in 243,482 |
4 | Match 5 | 1 in 60,870 |
5 | Match 4 + Viking Number | 1 in 4,750 |
6 | Match 4 | 1 in 1,187 |
7 | Match 3 + Viking Number | 1 in 267 |
8 | Match 3 | 1 in 66 |
Price of VikingLotto Ticket
The price to enter the lottery varies depending on where you are buying the ticket(s). There is quite a large variance between countries in terms of price. The price of a single VikingLotto ticket can run you back anywhere between €1 and €10.
The prices quoted here are for the minimum number of lines required for a single ticket in each country. Yes, there are a minimum number of lines that must choose in one ticket for certain countries. For instance, you have to play at least two lines in Denmark and Lithuania. The prices are inclusive of that.
Moreover, you can choose multiple draws to participate in, but each costs extra money. System bets can also cost you more. Depending on which country you are buying the ticket from, several extras and add-ons like them can inflate your ticket cost.
VikingLotto Jackpot
The VikingLotto jackpot amount is not fixed in stone. It is similar to most major jackpots in this regard. But it does provide a range within which the jackpot amount has to fall. The minimum guaranteed jackpot prize is €3 million, while the maximum jackpot is €25 million.
Biggest Win Made
The biggest ever jackpot prize in the history of VikingLotto was shared between two winning tickets in 2016. The jackpot amount at that time was around €44 million. You might ask, how could the jackpot have been €44 million when the cap is €25 million? Well, because the €25 million caps were only introduced in 2021. Another €35 million caps were introduced earlier in 2017. Therefore, the €44 million jackpot record is likely to remain unbroken. Unless, of course, the cap is lifted at some point in the future.
Results of VikingLotto
VikingLotto results are published on the operator's official website almost as soon as the draws take place. The draws take place every Wednesday soon after 20:00 CET at the Norsk Tipping headquarters, located in Hamar, Norway. Your local or national television channels may also broadcast the draw live. Moreover, you can easily walk into a VikingLotto retail point and check the results. You will generally be able to check the results from the latest, and the past 90 draws online.
How to Claim VikingLotto Prizes?
The VikingLotto claims process depends upon whether you bought your ticket online or at a physical retail store. And also, the amount of your prize. There are several jurisdictional differences as well between the participating countries.
For instance, VikingLotto is only available online for Belgian players. Therefore, prizes can also be claimed online exclusively—irrespective of the amount. On the other hand, there are many countries, in fact, most countries, where you can also claim your prize at a retail point. But generally speaking, you can only claim relatively small amounts from retail locations. For example, you can only claim up to €9,999 at retail locations in Finland.
The online method is generally completely cashless irrespective of the amount. Once you win a prize, your account will automatically reflect that. Then you have to complete the claims process online, and the money will be paid into your bank account. The retail location method is valid and convenient for small amounts. But you can claim large prizes from physical locations too. In that case, you have to make prior arrangements with the national lottery operators in your country.
Taxes on These Prizes
One of the best things about VikingLotto is that there are no taxes on the prizes in most participating countries. The only exceptions are Latvia and Slovenia. In Latvia, winnings below €3,000 are tax-exempt. There is a 23% tax on winnings between €3,000 and €55,000. If your winnings exceed €55,000, a tax rate of 31.4% applies. Whereas, in Slovenia, all winnings over €300 are taxed at 15%.
One more thing that you must remember. Since you can only claim prizes in the country where you bought the ticket, you must abide by that country's tax rules. But there is nothing for you to worry too much about. The lottery is responsible for dealing with the tax authorities.
Our Opinion on VikingLotto
VikingLotto is one of the best gambling options open to you if you live in participating countries. You will especially enjoy it if you love to play the best casino games online. If you win the jackpot, you can be a guaranteed millionaire, and you may not even have to pay any tax on it. And you can get lucky with a single €1 ticket, so gamble responsibly and stay within healthy limits.
VikingLotto FAQs
Get short answers to the most commonly asked questions about VikingLotto below:
VikingLotto draws take place every Wednesday soon after 20:00 CET. You can check the results through their website shortly thereafter. You may even be able to watch the live broadcasts on your national or local television channels.
VikingLotto is owned and operated in a joint effort by the national lotteries in the participating countries. They include organisations such as Norsk Tipping, Belgium National Lottery, and so on.
The odds of winning the big jackpot prize in VikingLotto is 1 in 61,357,560. Whereas, the odds to win any of the 8 prizes in the lottery is 1 in 21.
You can win the VikingLotto jackpot by matching the main 6 numbers and 1 Viking number. It is completely based on chance and there is not much skill or strategy that you can utilise. However, you can try to increase your chances through multiple lines, draws, and system games.
The minimum cost to enter a VikingLotto draw ranges from €1 to €10. Such a massive discrepancy occurs because the participating countries are responsible for setting their own prices and some of their own rules. Belgium is the most expensive place for VikingLotto.
You can check the VikingLotto results online by vising the official website. You will find the results of the latest draw and the 90 most recent draws. Moreover, you can check the results on television as well as at retail points.
Fact-checked by Julia Attard
Senior Author & Online Casino Expert