Lotto

Lotto has been running in South Africa since 2000 and remains the country's best-known draw game. The National Lottery is operated by Sizekhaya Holdings, which took over the fourth National Lottery licence on 1 June 2026 and runs the games under the supervision of the National Lotteries Commission.

To play, you pick 6 numbers from 1 to 52 on a game board. You can mark your own numbers on a coupon, ask a retailer to enter them for you, or take a Quick Pick and let the system choose for you. Tickets are sold at retail outlets, on the National Lottery website and mobile app, through participating bank apps and ATMs, and via USSD.

Seven balls are drawn in each Lotto draw. The first six are the main winning numbers and the seventh is the Bonus Ball. Match at least 3 numbers and you win a prize. The jackpot goes to players who match all 6 main numbers, and if nobody does, it rolls over to the next draw.

Two add-on games run alongside the main draw. Lotto Plus 1 costs an extra R2.50 and gives your numbers a second draw. Lotto 5 Max costs another R2.50 and adds a third draw, but you have to be playing both Lotto and Lotto Plus 1 to take it.

Lotto Results

Get the latest Lotto results here after every draw. Draws are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 21:00 local time.

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Historical results

Browse the full archive of past Lotto draws, winning numbers and dividend payouts.

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Tools & statistics

Analyse Lotto number frequency, hot and cold balls, common pairs and past jackpots with our free tools.

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How to play

Choose 6 different numbers between 1 and 52 for each board you play. One board costs R5.00 including VAT. Add Lotto Plus 1 for R2.50 and Lotto 5 Max for a further R2.50, which brings a full entry into all three draws to R10.00 per board.

You can take a Quick Pick for up to 20 boards at once, and a Multi-Draw entry keeps the same numbers running for between 2 and 10 consecutive draws. Multi-Play lets you add a seventh and even an eighth number to your selection; the system then plays every possible six-number combination from the numbers you picked, and each combination counts as its own entry. A single player may spend a maximum of R5,000 per game.

Draws take place on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 21:00, in the order Lotto, Lotto Plus 1, Lotto 5 Max. Buy your ticket before sales close for that evening's draw. You must be 18 or older to play.

Lotto divisions

Division Winning Combination Division Odds Prize per Winning Ticket
no. 1 Match 6 numbers 1 in 20,358,520 Jackpot – 60% of the pari-mutuel pool
no. 2 Match 5 numbers and BONUS 1 in 3,393,087 15% of the pari-mutuel pool
no. 3 Match 5 numbers 1 in 75,402 25% of the pari-mutuel pool
no. 4 Match 4 numbers and BONUS 1 in 30,161 R4,000 fixed prize
no. 5 Match 4 numbers 1 in 1,371 R200 fixed prize
no. 6 Match 3 numbers and BONUS 1 in 1,028 R200 fixed prize
no. 7 Match 2 numbers and BONUS 1 in 96 R30 fixed prize
no. 8 Match 3 numbers 1 in 72 R20 fixed prize

Half of the net ticket sales for each draw goes into the prize pool. The fixed prizes in divisions 4 to 8 are paid out first, and whatever is left is shared between divisions 1, 2 and 3 in the percentages above. Every selection wins in one division only, the highest one it qualifies for.

Lotto FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions to help you understand aspects of Lotto:
At any authorised National Lottery retailer, on the official website or mobile app, through participating bank apps and ATMs, or by USSD. You can also build your selection in the app, generate a QR code and have a retailer scan it. Buy before sales close for that evening's draw.
Every Wednesday and Saturday evening at 21:00. The Lotto draw runs first, followed by Lotto Plus 1 and then Lotto 5 Max.
One Lotto board is R5.00 including VAT. Lotto Plus 1 adds R2.50 and Lotto 5 Max adds another R2.50, so all three draws cost R10.00 per board.
There are 20,358,520 possible six-number combinations from a pool of 52, so a single board has a 1 in 20,358,520 chance of matching all six. The odds of winning any prize are roughly 1 in 36.
If nobody matches all six main numbers, the division 1 prize pool is carried over to the next draw and keeps growing until someone wins it. If there are no division 2 winners, that money rolls down to division 3, and if division 3 has no winners either, it moves to division 1 of the next Lotto draw.
Usually yes, but not in the last draw of a calendar month. If the Lotto 5 Max jackpot is still unwon then, it cascades down and is shared among division 2 winners, or division 3 winners if division 2 is empty. Only if neither division has a winner does it roll over to the next draw.
No. Lotto Plus 1 is only available if you play Lotto, and Lotto 5 Max is only available if you play both Lotto and Lotto Plus 1. Your numbers stay the same across all three draws.
Multi-Play lets you add up to two extra numbers to your six. The system then generates every possible six-number combination from your seven or eight numbers, and each one is entered into the same draw as a separate entry. You pay more for the extra combinations, and any prizes you win across them are added together.
Prizes up to R2,000 can be paid out by any authorised retailer, subject to the cash they have on hand. Amounts from R2,001 to R49,999.99 are claimed at an authorised prize payment centre. Anything from R50,000 upwards has to be claimed at a Sizekhaya office, and you will need to complete a prize claim form and show proof of identity. Tickets bought online or through a bank app are usually paid straight into your wallet or bank account.
You have 365 days from the draw date, up to 23:00 on the final day. After that the prize is forfeited.
A ticket bought at a retail terminal can be cancelled at that same terminal within ten minutes of purchase, as long as the outlet is still open and sales for the draw have not closed. You get a full refund. Cancellation rules differ on online and other channels, and some do not allow it at all.
Each draw uses approved drawing equipment or a certified random number generator, with 52 balls numbered 1 to 52. Seven balls are drawn: the first six are the main numbers and the seventh is the Bonus Ball. Draws are held under controlled conditions with independent auditors and regulatory representatives present, and only the results certified afterwards are binding.
Sizekhaya Holdings has operated the National Lottery since 1 June 2026 under the fourth National Lottery licence, which runs for eight years. Ithuba was the previous operator. The National Lotteries Commission regulates the lottery and distributes the good-causes money through the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.

You can find out lots of information about lottery balls like what is the winning ratio of each ball, how many jackpots a particular ball had, what is the prize in each ball, etc.

Use our tool to find out if your number combination comes together often.

Check which lottery number is most likely to come up based on historical data.

It can help you find out how many draws or days ago your favorite number was drawn.

The biggest prizes won in a previous period.