Israel - Lotto

Lotto

Lotto is one of several national lottery games played in Israel, with entry costing ILS 6.00 per ticket.

Draws take place twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 23:00 local time. Ticket sales end three hours before the draw and recommence immediately afterwards.

To play Lotto, choose six numbers between 1 and 37, plus an additional number known as the Strong Number between 1 and 7. Players can also go for a Quick Pick to enter Lotto with randomly generated numbers.

Lotto can also be played by selecting five main numbers, with the sixth number being chosen at random, plus the strong number.

System entry is also available, with players entering multiple combinations of up to 12 main numbers.

Players can also bet double, with matching numbers winning twice the usual prize at all tiers, including the jackpot.

There is also the EXTRA game in which players get a random six-digit number printed on their ticket, with the jackpot being won by matching all six numbers in order.

Jackpot

Lotto offers a minimum guaranteed jackpot of ILS 4 million, including a maximum jackpot cap of ILS 56 million in the event of rollovers.

The biggest ever Lotto jackpot was ILS 28 million on December 19, 2017.

Odds and Prizes

The odds of winning the Lotto jackpot are 1 in 18,598,272, while the overall chances of winning a prize are 1 in 19.

Lotto players can win prizes at eight different tiers.

Payout and Taxes

All Lotto prizes are paid out as lump sums, with prizes of over ILS 5,000 being subject to 25% tax.

Players entering Lotto from abroad should check local tax laws to find out if additional taxes need to be paid on winnings.

Who Can Play Lotto?

Lotto tickets are sold at authorized retailers across Israel, with players needing to be at least 18 years of age to take part.

Players outside of Israel can enter Lotto online via Lottery Agent websites.

History of Lotto

Lotto was launched in 1951 through the formation of Mifal HaPais, which initially sought ways to generate revenue to pay for the building of a hospital in Tel Aviv.

Mifal HaPais would continue to use Lotto to raise money for healthcare investment, before expanding to the funding of good causes in later years.

Most forms of gambling are banned in Israel, with Lotto and other Mifal HaPais draw games being some of the only ways for Israelis to do so.