What Do Lucky Stars Mean in EuroMillions Number Draws?
EuroMillions draws are popular across the UK, but to those unfamiliar with this lottery, the term “Lucky Stars” can raise questions. These extra numbers sit alongside the main selections and have a clear impact on how prizes are awarded.
Understanding Lucky Stars can help make sense of results, especially why some tickets qualify for higher tiers than others. This blog post explains how they work, how many are drawn, and the part they play in the jackpot and other prizes.
Read on to learn more.
What Are Lucky Stars in EuroMillions?
If you choose to play EuroMillions, you’ll come across something called Lucky Stars. These are an additional set of numbers drawn separately from the main numbers. In each draw, two Lucky Star numbers are selected from a pool ranging from 1 to 12.
When you fill out a EuroMillions entry, you pick five main numbers from 1 to 50, along with two Lucky Stars from their own separate pool. Although both sets appear on the same playslip, they are distinct selections.
Lucky Stars play an important role in how the prizes are structured. They are essential for the highest prize tiers, including the jackpot, and help determine where your ticket fits within the overall prize breakdown.
Understanding this makes it clearer why Lucky Stars are so important when it comes to winning the top prizes.
How Do Lucky Stars Affect the EuroMillions Jackpot?
The jackpot is awarded only when a ticket matches all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars from the same draw. If either of the two Stars is missing, the top prize is not won.
Because the winning combination must cover two separate pools, the jackpot is harder to match. When no one lands the full set, the top prize rolls to the next draw, which is why it can build when there are consecutive rollovers.
Understanding this requirement also helps explain the role of the Stars in every other tier. So, how many of them appear each time?
How Many Lucky Stars Are Drawn in Each Game?
Every EuroMillions game produces exactly two Lucky Stars from the 1 to 12 pool. They are drawn after the five main numbers and are treated as a separate part of the result.
Each valid line includes two Star selections. Without them, a ticket cannot qualify for the top tiers that rely on matching Stars as well as main numbers.
Now that the draw format is clear, it is worth looking at how the two pools differ.
What Is the Difference Between Main Numbers and Lucky Stars?
EuroMillions uses two distinct sets of numbers. The five main numbers come from 1 to 50 and are drawn from one drum. The Lucky Stars come from 1 to 12 and are drawn from another.
This split matters because prizes depend on how many numbers are matched across both pools. Matching main numbers alone can qualify a ticket for lower tiers, but matching Stars alongside them is required for the largest prizes.
That same split is also what shapes the smaller tiers.
How Do Lucky Stars Influence Smaller Prize Tiers?
Lucky Stars do more than decide the jackpot. They also help move tickets between tiers. Matching one or both Stars alongside some main numbers can lift a ticket into a higher bracket than matching the same main numbers without any Stars.
For example, there are tiers for two main numbers plus one Star, and for three main numbers with or without Stars. The presence of a Star often nudges a ticket into a more valuable tier because it means more of the full combination has been met.
Put simply, Stars act as key tie-breakers throughout the table, not just at the very top.
What Are the Odds of Matching Lucky Stars?
Two Lucky Stars are chosen from 12 numbers. If a ticket includes two Star selections:
The chance of matching both Stars is 1 in 66.
The chance of matching exactly one Star is 20 in 66, which is about 1 in 3.3.
The chance of matching no Stars is 45 in 66, or roughly two in three.
Prizes depend on the overall combination across both pools, so any Star matches need to be considered alongside the main numbers on the ticket.
Do You Always Need Lucky Stars to Win a Prize?
If you decide to play EuroMillions, it’s helpful to know that you don’t always need to match Lucky Stars to win a prize. Some of the lower prize tiers can be won by matching just the main numbers—two, three, or four—without any Lucky Stars.
However, as you match more numbers, especially when Lucky Stars are included, your ticket moves into higher prize categories. For example, to win the jackpot or certain upper-tier prizes, you need to match all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars. This rule forms the basis of the prize structure and highlights why Lucky Stars are so important in EuroMillions.
Understanding how Lucky Stars factor into the draw can help you set realistic expectations. If you choose to take part, it’s always a good idea to stick to a budget you’re comfortable with and enjoy the game for what it is—a bit of entertainment and chance.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.
EuroMillions draws are popular across the UK, but to those unfamiliar with this lottery, the term “Lucky Stars” can raise questions. These extra numbers sit alongside the main selections and have a clear impact on how prizes are awarded.
Understanding Lucky Stars can help make sense of results, especially why some tickets qualify for higher tiers than others. This blog post explains how they work, how many are drawn, and the part they play in the jackpot and other prizes.
Read on to learn more.
What Are Lucky Stars in EuroMillions?
If you choose to play EuroMillions, you’ll come across something called Lucky Stars. These are an additional set of numbers drawn separately from the main numbers. In each draw, two Lucky Star numbers are selected from a pool ranging from 1 to 12.
When you fill out a EuroMillions entry, you pick five main numbers from 1 to 50, along with two Lucky Stars from their own separate pool. Although both sets appear on the same playslip, they are distinct selections.
Lucky Stars play an important role in how the prizes are structured. They are essential for the highest prize tiers, including the jackpot, and help determine where your ticket fits within the overall prize breakdown.
Understanding this makes it clearer why Lucky Stars are so important when it comes to winning the top prizes.
How Do Lucky Stars Affect the EuroMillions Jackpot?
The jackpot is awarded only when a ticket matches all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars from the same draw. If either of the two Stars is missing, the top prize is not won.
Because the winning combination must cover two separate pools, the jackpot is harder to match. When no one lands the full set, the top prize rolls to the next draw, which is why it can build when there are consecutive rollovers.
Understanding this requirement also helps explain the role of the Stars in every other tier. So, how many of them appear each time?
How Many Lucky Stars Are Drawn in Each Game?
Every EuroMillions game produces exactly two Lucky Stars from the 1 to 12 pool. They are drawn after the five main numbers and are treated as a separate part of the result.
Each valid line includes two Star selections. Without them, a ticket cannot qualify for the top tiers that rely on matching Stars as well as main numbers.
Now that the draw format is clear, it is worth looking at how the two pools differ.
What Is the Difference Between Main Numbers and Lucky Stars?
EuroMillions uses two distinct sets of numbers. The five main numbers come from 1 to 50 and are drawn from one drum. The Lucky Stars come from 1 to 12 and are drawn from another.
This split matters because prizes depend on how many numbers are matched across both pools. Matching main numbers alone can qualify a ticket for lower tiers, but matching Stars alongside them is required for the largest prizes.
That same split is also what shapes the smaller tiers.
How Do Lucky Stars Influence Smaller Prize Tiers?
Lucky Stars do more than decide the jackpot. They also help move tickets between tiers. Matching one or both Stars alongside some main numbers can lift a ticket into a higher bracket than matching the same main numbers without any Stars.
For example, there are tiers for two main numbers plus one Star, and for three main numbers with or without Stars. The presence of a Star often nudges a ticket into a more valuable tier because it means more of the full combination has been met.
Put simply, Stars act as key tie-breakers throughout the table, not just at the very top.
What Are the Odds of Matching Lucky Stars?
Two Lucky Stars are chosen from 12 numbers. If a ticket includes two Star selections:
The chance of matching both Stars is 1 in 66.
The chance of matching exactly one Star is 20 in 66, which is about 1 in 3.3.
The chance of matching no Stars is 45 in 66, or roughly two in three.
Prizes depend on the overall combination across both pools, so any Star matches need to be considered alongside the main numbers on the ticket.
Do You Always Need Lucky Stars to Win a Prize?
If you decide to play EuroMillions, it’s helpful to know that you don’t always need to match Lucky Stars to win a prize. Some of the lower prize tiers can be won by matching just the main numbers—two, three, or four—without any Lucky Stars.
However, as you match more numbers, especially when Lucky Stars are included, your ticket moves into higher prize categories. For example, to win the jackpot or certain upper-tier prizes, you need to match all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars. This rule forms the basis of the prize structure and highlights why Lucky Stars are so important in EuroMillions.
Understanding how Lucky Stars factor into the draw can help you set realistic expectations. If you choose to take part, it’s always a good idea to stick to a budget you’re comfortable with and enjoy the game for what it is—a bit of entertainment and chance.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.
