EuroMillions Jackpot Reaches €190 Million Cap: What Happens Now?

Friday's EuroMillions jackpot stands at a colossal €190 million (est. £168 million) after rolling over  last Friday night and then failing to be won this Tuesday. The top prize is capped at this mark and cannot get any larger, so what does this mean for players?

How did the jackpot get so high?

The starting point for the huge jackpot was the Superdraw on Friday 15th September, which raised the top prize to a guaranteed €130 million (£114.5 million). Nobody matched all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars in the Superdraw, and the jackpot remained out of reach for the subsequent four draws. Friday 29th September’s rollover pushed the jackpot up to €190 million ahead of Tuesday's game, and rules state that it cannot go any higher.

What happens now?

Once there is €190 million in the jackpot prize fund, any additional money which would normally go into this tier has to go elsewhere, so it is funnelled down to help winners in lower categories. This means there is likely to be a larger prize pool than usual for players who match five main numbers plus one Lucky Star. If there is nobody in the ‘Match 5+1’ tier, the money will be used to boost the prizes of anyone who matches five numbers.

How long can this go on for?

The jackpot can stay at €190 million for a maximum of five draws. If nobody has managed to match all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars in the fifth draw, then the full amount will be split between players in the next winning tier.

This means that the €190,000,000 EuroMillions jackpot prize must be won on, or before, Tuesday 17th October.

Has the jackpot cap been hit before?

Yes. The jackpot cap was raised from its previous €185 million mark after Chris and Colin Weir from the UK won £161.6 million in July 2011. Another UK couple, Adrian and Gillian Bayford, bagged the maximum €190 million on 10th August 2012, although they took home a smaller sterling prize of £148.6 million due to the exchange rate at the time. A Portuguese player matched the €190 million record on 24th October 2014.

Winning the current jackpot then, would add you to the list of the biggest lottery winners of all time.

Will the jackpot be won on Friday?

It remains to be seen whether the jackpot will be won, but the only way to give yourself a chance is to take part. You can choose numbers online now from anywhere in the world, or go to an authorised retailer in one of the nine participating countries.