Why do jackpot winners pocket almost everything in the lottery?

The fact that I didn't hit the Swiss lottery jackpot again doesn't bother me (or doesn't anymore). What annoys me is that the winner pockets almost all of the winnings with six correct numbers plus a lucky number. I ask Swisslotto: When will this change?

"Honey, I didn't hit the jackpot again," my wife told me Thursday morning as she walked into the kitchen. I just realized that one lucky person pocketed almost 18 million francs the night before.

While I congratulate the lucky winner, I am once again outraged by the distribution of the prize money. It is simply impossible for twelve players who found five correct numbers and the correct lucky number to win just over 5,000 francs. Will I have to pay tax on a lottery win, find out in this article - https://www.abcmoney.co.uk/2017/08/will-i-have-to-pay-tax-on-a-lottery-win/.

I found five correct numbers, but made an initial mistake

Yes, I admit it. I play Swiss Loto. Not regularly, of course, but from time to time. And yes, I also allowed myself to be seduced, but not only, by the large amounts of jackpots, trying to ignore the fact that the odds of winning are 1 in 140 million. So I was even happier when I found five good numbers a year and a half ago. My heart almost dropped in my pants and I remember already imagining myself buying a new race bike or finally going to Thailand with my family.

But euphoria was quickly replaced by disappointment. I only got 880 francs for five correct numbers. Well, it's usually 1,000 francs, and that doesn't sound great to me either. But because I made the initial mistake of betting on the popular numbers, I had to share my winnings with many other "fives". Since then, I have not stopped asking myself: why in Swiss Lotto does the winner get almost everything, while the lower-ranked players have to settle for crumbs?

Swisslotto: "Big jackpots have been proven to encourage people to play lotto"

I asked Swisslotto, wouldn't there be a lot more people playing Swiss Lotto if, for example, you could pocket a round sum with five correct numbers?

"The distribution is based on a strict principle, a lower rank cannot of course receive more than a higher rank," explains Swisslos spokesman Willy Mesmer. The idea that Swiss Lotto would be more attractive if lower ranks, such as five correct numbers plus the correct lucky number, received more prize money is wrong: “This clearly does not correspond to the playing behavior that Swisslos constantly analyse. all its products. It has been proven that people play more when the jackpots are high. » Read about new innovations in online betting and games in this guide.

Especially since 2004, Swisslotto competes with Euromillions, to which Swisslotto also belongs with nine other European lotteries. "Our goal is to hit the jackpot three or four times a year, which is common for Euromillions," explains Willy Mesmer. At the end of the day, it's all about finding a formula that generates a good jackpot every now and then, but which also always allows you to win the same jackpot. It took 22 draws to win Wednesday's jackpot of almost 18 million francs. The record dates back to 2017: after only 49 draws, a record jackpot of 70 million francs was won by three players at the same time.

About a third of the shares were transferred to utility projects

The current system, which includes 42 numbers, six lucky numbers and a repeat number, is almost a decade old. And that's why he proved himself: "Of course, we always try all kinds of formulas and systems. Even the higher payouts you offer for, say, five correct numbers. But all evaluations show us that the current system is still the best at the moment," emphasizes Willy Mesmer. And one thing should not be forgotten in the euphoria of the jackpot: "There were about 40,000 small-stakes winners and about 80,000 Replay winners in Wednesday night's draw, who could therefore play again for the staked amount."

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