What are lotto divisions?
In syndicated lotteries, there are typically several distinct divisions which allow for the winning of cash prizes. Obviously, the more numbers you match the higher your division and the higher your prize will be, but lower divisions are applicable for cards with fewer matched numbers, and those divisions still offer significant prizes.
This article will help to explain the different divisions advertised within specific Australian state-based lotteries, as well as the probabilities of winning each of those divisions.
Winning divisions and combinations for Australian lotteries
There are several lotteries syndicated throughout Australia, so we will briefly touch on each one and the requirements for each winning division.
Saturday Lotto – Branded Tattslotto in Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, this is a national weekly draw conducted by Tattersall’s, and is syndicated to all Australian states and territories. It is called Gold Lotto in Queensland, X-Lotto in South Australia and simply Lotto or Saturday Lotto in New South Wales and Western Australia.
In order to win a prize, participants must match a minimum of one of the winning numbers from the barrel of balls numbered one to 45, and both of the supplementary numbers (which are drawn from the same barrel).
- Division 1: match six winning numbers (probability is 1 in 8,145,060)
- Division 2: match five winning numbers, and one or two supplementary numbers (probability is 1 in 678,755)
- Division 3: match five winning numbers (probability is 1 in 36,689)
- Division 4: match four winning numbers (probability is 1 in 733)
- Division 5: match three winning numbers, and one or two supplementary numbers (probability is 1 in 297)
- Division 6: match one or two winning numbers, and two supplementary numbers (probability is 1 in 144)
Monday and Wednesday Lotto is also played across the country, and it maintains the same format as the Saturday Lotto.
Powerball – Another nation-wide syndicated, weekly lottery administered by Tattersall’s (Thursday nights), Powerball models itself off of its American counterpart with the same name. Two barrels of numbers are used; one which contains 40 (1-40) numbers and one which contains 20 numbers (1-20). Six numbers are drawn at random from the barrel holding 40 balls, and one Powerball is drawn from the barrel of 20 balls afterwards.
There are eight separate winning divisions in Powerball, and it boasts slightly higher odds than the Saturday, Monday and Wednesday Lotto draws. A participant will need to match at the very least two numbers from the main draw and the Powerball from the subsequent draw to be awarded a prize.
- Division 1: match six winning numbers and the Powerball (probability is 1 in 76,767,600)
- Division 2: match six winning numbers (probability is 1 in 4,040,400)
- Division 3: match five winning numbers and the Powerball (probability is 1 in 376,312)
- Division 4: match five winning numbers (probability is 1 in 19,806)
- Division 5: match four winning numbers and the Powerball (probability is 1 in 9,123)
- Division 6: match three winning numbers and the Powerball (probability is 1 in 641)
- Division 7: match four winning numbers (probability is 1 in 480)
- Division 8: match two winning numbers and the Powerball (probability is 1 in 110)
Oz Lotto – Administered by Tattersall’s, Oz Lotto is syndicated across Australia and played on Tuesday nights. Seven balls are drawn from a barrel of balls numbered 1-45, followed by two supplementary numbers from the same barrel. Match at least three winning numbers and one supplementary number, and you are guaranteed a prize, with a minimum division one prize pool of two million dollars.
- Division 1: match seven winning numbers (probability is 1 in 45,379,620)
- Division 2: match six winning numbers, and one or two supplementary numbers (probability is 1 in 3,241,401)
- Division 3: match six winning numbers (probability is 1 in 180,078)
- Division 4: match five winning numbers, and one or two supplementary numbers (probability is 1 in 29,602)
- Division 5: match five winning numbers (probability is 1 in 3,430)
- Division 6: match four winning numbers (probability is 1 in 154)
- Division 7: match three winning numbers, and one or two supplementary numbers (probability is 1 in 87)
The structure of this lotto was the same as the Saturday, Monday and Wednesday lotteries until 2005, when a seventh ball was introduced.
Super 66 – Played across all Australian states and territories except New South Wales (which plays Lotto Strike instead), Super 66 is played each week on a Saturday night just prior to the main Saturday night lotto. It is advertised as an ‘add-on’ game – typically, a player must purchase a ticket to the main Saturday night draw in conjunction with a Super 66 ticket.
A six digit number is automatically produced by random number generator (RNG) software, and as a player, you want to match a many of the same numbers in that six digit number, in the exact same sequence.
For example, if the numbers produced are as follows – 4 9 4 2 6 4 – and your ticket displayed a six digit number as follows – 2 1 3 2 6 4 – then you would have matched the last three figures of the official number in their correct order, and be eligible for a prize. There are five winning divisions which are detailed below, using the official six digit winning sequence 1 2 3 4 5 6, as an example:
- Division 1: 1 2 3 4 5 6 (probability is 1 in 1,000,000. The prize is the minimum jackpot of $16,666, or more)
- Division 2: 1 2 3 4 5 x or x 2 3 4 5 6 1 (probability is 1 in 55,556. The fixed prize is $6,666)
- Division 3: 1 2 3 4 x x or x x 3 4 5 6 1 (probability is 1 in 5,556. The fixed prize is $666)
- Division 4: 1 2 3 x x x or x x x 4 5 6 1 (probability is 1 in 556. The fixed prize is $66)
- Division 5: 1 2 x x x x or x x x x 5 6 1 (probability is 1 in 56. The fixed prize is $6.60)
Note: x is a digit which is not a number in the same order as the official Super 66 sequence.
Thus, a player will win if, at the bare minimum, the first two or last two digits of their own number matches with the first two or last two digits of the official six digit number. Super 66 is administered by Tattersall’s.
The Pools – Based on Australian state league soccer games (or matches from the northern hemisphere, if there aren’t sufficient local league games), this is a unique and nationally played lottery game administered by SA Lotteries. There are a total of 60 soccer matches chosen, and each match receives a number from 1-60. Games numbered 1-38 are used, and the remaining matches are reserve games in case any of the initial 38 games are postponed or cancelled for any reason.
When the results of all the matches are known, they are ranked in order according to a specific set of guidelines. The most valuable ranking rule is whether or not the match ends in a draw, as draws are ranked highest. The higher the score in the drawn match, the higher the game ranks.
For example, here is a list of the eight highest ranking results (in order) from the original collection of 38 matches:
- Game number 15 – result was 4-4
- Game number 34 – result was 2-2
- Game number 26 – result was 1-1
- Game number 24 – result was 1-1
- Game number 36 – result was 0-0
- Game number 20 – result was 0-0
- Game number 9 – result was 0-0
- Game number 5 – result was 0-0
In the case of ties (where two or more games have the same score), it is the match which was given the higher game number which is ranked higher (as you can see in the example above).
The six highest scoring draws become the six winning numbers (15, 34, 26, 24, 36, 20) and the seventh highest scoring draw becomes the supplementary number (9).
If there aren’t enough draws to establish a set of seven numbers, then there are ranking guidelines for away team wins and home team wins, with goal difference and total goals scored the determining factors (you can check the complete Soccer Pools rules here – link to Tatts website?).
- Division 1: match all six winning numbers (probability is 1 in 2,760,681. There is a minimum division one prize of $75,000, but it is typically higher as the jackpot increases)
- Division 2: match five winning numbers and the supplementary number (probability is 1 in 460,114)
- Division 3: match five winning numbers (probability is 1 in 14,842)
- Division 4: match four winning numbers (probability is 1 in 371)
- Division 5: match three winning numbers and the supplementary number (probability is 1 in 297)
Note: all the probability odds of winning any of the above divisions are based on one game. Some lotteries will require the player to purchase tickets for a minimum of more than one game.
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