Bigger, better EuroMillions is the way organizers are describing the revamped European bloc lotto game. The higher priced tickets went on sale on September 24.
“The new price (€2.20) for the main jackpot game, previously (€2) reflects all of the enhancements that the EuroMillions operators have introduced to make the main community-wide jackpot game and their own additional local games (meaning the price per line is €2.50 in several countries) even bigger and more exciting for players,” said Andrew Pilkington, General Secretary, Services aux Loteries en Europe (SLE).
The price of the EuroMillions grid had not been changed for years. “It was a question of increasing the volume of stakes in order to allow different and higher allocations, notably to the jackpots,” said Jean-Luc Moner-Banet, CEO of Loterie Romande.
Sales for the new-look EuroMillions game got off to a great start in launch week, “with a significant increase in the number of lines bought for the first two draws in EuroMillions countries,” reported Pilkington.
EuroMillions was designed as a game to deliver big rolling jackpots, big winners and lots of millionaires. “However, there has been a natural sales decline across the EuroMillions community over the last couple of years, and that hasn’t been helped by a lack of big rollovers and, in turn, a lack of huge jackpots that players have come to expect from the game,” said Pilkington.
“That decline needed to be addressed, which is why the 10 EuroMillions operators collectively agreed to reinvigorate the game by making it more exciting and appealing for players through, among other things, offering bigger jackpots more often and creating significantly more millionaires. That will help to keep the game healthy and thriving in the years ahead—ultimately delivering even more for society,” he said.
Total YOY bloc sales should increase in calendar 2016. “It is indeed clear that we expect an increase in sales of EuroMillions but that should not only result from the price hike but from all innovations that we have introduced to the game,” stated Moner-Banet.
The €190 million cap on the EuroMillions top prize remains intact. “The ceiling will remain the same but can be rolled over four times before being allocated to the lower price categories. Previously, only one rollover was possible,” said Moner-Banet.
If the jackpot still hasn’t been won, “the entire €190 million—plus any additional money in the jackpot prize fund over and above this amount—will roll down to the next highest prize tier where there are winners (most likely the 5+1 tier),” said Pilkington.
Game Enhancements
In its new EuroMillions advertising campaign, the U.K. National Lottery touts:
– Bigger jackpots more often
– More U.K. millionaires
– More spectacular events
– All this for just an extra 50p and one extra lucky star to choose from
EuroMillions members are activating marketing campaigns on a local level to inform the public of the game changes.
The revamped EuroMillions will feature bigger jackpots more often—average jackpots are expected to be around €24 million (currently £21 million) higher than they were in 2015. The organizers expect to see more than twice as many jackpots of over €50 million/£50 million over the next year.
“The EuroMillions jackpot will increase faster and go higher not as an essential result of the price hike but due to a higher allocation to the first tier (jackpot) and that varies in order to be more important during the first six draws of each cycle,” said Moner-Banet.
Pilkington said changing the number of Lucky Stars will also make jackpots grow faster. “Changing the number of Lucky Stars that players can choose from (now two from 12, previously two from 11) will mean that the game is likely to roll more often, with higher rolls more likely,” he explained.
Starting jackpots will also be higher at €17 million (currently around £15 million) compared with €15 million (£11 million) previously.
EuroMillions will also create even more millionaires with the launch of a new must-be-won pan-European raffle, the first of which will take place at the end of October and will create an additional 25 millionaires across the community.
Finally, EuroMillions will offer even bigger special promotional draws, which will offer massive guaranteed jackpots of €130 million (currently around £117 million) compared with €100 million (£75 million) previously. “The first of these has already taken place and saw a lucky ticket-holder from Belgium scoop [win] the amazing €168 million jackpot on Tuesday 11 October,” said Pilkington.
In the News
Lottoland, a reseller of lottery tickets, made news in September when it continued to sell EuroMillions at its old price.
“EuroMillions has indeed opened legal actions against Lottoland, notably for an abusive use of our trademark and logos,” stated Moner-Banet. “We were proved right at first instance; the procedures continue as the action of Lottoland and other operators of this type is totally illegal and causes important harm to lotteries.”
Pilkington added that “Lottoland does not impact all countries where EuroMillions is sold.”