Play Finland Lotto Online – How to Play and Buy Tickets
With the number of lotteries that take place across the globe, it is a significant task to keep track of them all.
Luckily, some develop reputations far beyond their borders and are played by people worldwide.
In this Finland Lotto review, we will look at one such lottery and what it has to offer. We will also look at how you can use it to win yourself some massive prizes.
History
The lottery first began in Finland way back in December of 1970. Since then, it has become an integral part of the lives of those living in the country.
From its inception until today, the lottery has been operated by Veikkaus. Veikkaus is a state-owned company which offers a variety of different games aside from the lottery.
How to Play Finland Lotto
Playing in the Finland Lotto is very simple to do. The game operates as a single matrix (7/40) lottery. This means that you will need to choose seven numbers from the number pool ranging from 1 to 40.
If you don’t have the time to choose your own numbers, a quick pick option is available. This will leave the decision of which numbers to play up to a random number generator.
After you have chosen your numbers, or let the computer choose them, you must decide whether or not you would like to play with the Plus number.
This number is an additional number between 1 and 30 that will be allocated to your ticket. While matching this number to the additional number drawn at the end of the draw won’t do anything if you are a jackpot winner, it will do a lot if you aren’t.
Any winnings from any prize tier below the jackpot will be multiplied by five times if you also happen to match the Plus number during a draw. This is a massive increase in your winnings.
A standard line on a ticket usually costs around €1 with an extra €0.50 if you play with a Plus number. After paying for your ticket, you can simply wait until the draw to see if you have won.
Odds of Winning
The odds of winning the Finland Lotto jackpot are 1 in 18,643,560. This is significantly better than the odds of other lotteries such as the US Powerball (1 in 292,201,338), EuroMillions (1 in 139,838,160), and even the popular UK Lotto (1 in 45,057,474).
The overall chances of winning a prize are 1 in 50. However, if you choose to play with the Plus number, your chances of winning a prize are dramatically improved to 1 in 19.
Finland Lotto Payout Chart
The jackpot for this lottery starts at €400,000. This may not sound like a large amount compared to many other lotteries. However, the advantage here is that this jackpot rolls over indefinitely until it is won.
There are seven different prize tiers available. These are detailed below:
Balls to Match | Odds of Winning * | Average Lotto Prize | Average Lotto Prize with Plus Number |
7 of 7 | 1 in 18,643,560 | Jackpot | Jackpot |
6 of 7 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 2,663,365 | €100,000 | €500,000 |
6 of 7 | 1 in 83,230 | €2,000 | €10,000 |
5 of 7 | 1 in 681 | €50 | €250 |
4 of 7 | 1 in 97 | €10 | €50 |
3 of 7 + Bonus Ball | 1 in 107 | €2 | €10 |
Lotto Plus Number | 1 in 30 | - | €5 |
*Odds of winning are listed as playing without a Plus number.
Drawing Time
The Finland Lotto is drawn every Saturday at 21:10 (CET). Results are posted online as soon as the draw has concluded.
Biggest Jackpots
With a starting jackpot of only €400,000, you may think that Finland Lotto’s jackpots don’t offer big amounts. However, the jackpot has grown to some rather impressive amounts in the past.
The largest of these was when the jackpot reached a generous €14.5 million before being won by one lucky winner.
Payout Options
There is no mention of whether or not jackpots are paid out as cash lump sums or as annuity payments. However, judging by the fact that the jackpots for this lottery never reach ridiculously high amounts, it is safe to assume they are offered as cash lump sums.
Taxes
While Finland doesn’t specifically tax lottery winnings, that is not to say that you won’t have to pay any tax on your winnings. It simply means that you won’t have to pay tax before receiving your winnings.
In truth, lottery winnings are seen as income in Finland. This means that you will be required to declare the winnings as income after you have been paid out. As such, they become liable to income tax.
However, it is always advisable to consult with a tax consultant to ensure what you owe and if there are any exceptions that you could apply for.
How to Play Finland Lotto Online
Only a few online lottery websites allow you to play in the Finland Lotto from anywhere in the world. Fortunately, you can also buy tickets directly from the official Veikkaus website—although you will need to be located in Europe to do this.
Finland Lotto – Is It Worth Playing?
It is definitely worth playing in the Finland Lotto. While the prizes may not be as great as some of the other bigger lotteries, the odds of winning more than make up for this.
The great extra offered in the form of the Plus number also makes this lottery something special. Especially considering you can multiply your winnings by a factor of five.
We highly recommend that you consider playing in this great lottery. We know that we certainly will.
Seems like a pretty good overall lottery draw!