EuroMillions is one of the world’s largest transnational lottery games, famous for its towering jackpots, life-changing “Must Be Won” events, and cross-border participation spanning multiple European countries. In 2025, EuroMillions repeatedly hit its maximum jackpot cap of €250 million, producing several record-setting wins, international headlines, and a spike in public interest about how the jackpot grows, when it must be won, the odds, tax implications, and how long winners have to claim prizes. 

This guide brings together current, verifiable information from official sources and reputable coverage to explain the EuroMillions jackpot in full, with a focus on the latest developments and the most searched questions people ask on Google about this lottery.

What Is the EuroMillions Jackpot?

EuroMillions is a pan-European lottery played in multiple participating countries, with a shared prize pool and twice-weekly draws (Tuesday and Friday), offering multi-million-euro top prizes often described as “jackpots.” The jackpot is the top-tier prize requiring players to match five main numbers plus two “Lucky Star” numbers in a single draw to win. The game also includes secondary prize tiers, add-on raffles in specific jurisdictions (such as the UK Millionaire Maker), and special “Superdraws” that boost the starting jackpot to a much higher guaranteed level for a draw cycle.

EuroMillions jackpots are funded by ticket sales across all participating countries, allowing the top prize to routinely climb to amounts that rival or exceed most lotteries around the world. Due to its transnational structure, EuroMillions benefits from a large player base, consistent rollovers, and internationally watched “cap” moments when the jackpot reaches its maximum allowed value.

Every EuroMillions draw publishes: The jackpot amount in both euros and local currencies (e.g., pounds sterling) for each participating country’s national lottery site. The five main numbers and two Lucky Stars. Information on secondary prize tiers and local raffles/bonus games like the UK Millionaire Maker. These results are publicly verifiable through official national lottery channels (such as the UK National Lottery site) and consolidated EuroMillions-focused portals.

2025: A Year of Record-Tying €250 Million Jackpots

The year 2025 has been extraordinary for EuroMillions, notably because the jackpot repeatedly hit the fixed cap of €250 million, a modern record threshold that was first reached in March 2025 and then again in June and August of the same year. This means 2025 saw multiple cycles that climbed to the maximum, capturing broad media and public attention across Europe.

Key highlights:

March 2025: The EuroMillions jackpot cap of €250 million was hit for the first time on March 28, 2025, after a Superdraw earlier in the month boosted the pot to €130 million. A single online player in Austria won the prize, marking a historic milestone for EuroMillions at the newly fixed cap level.

June 2025: The €250 million cap was reached again, with the capped jackpot persisting across several draws before being won on June 17, 2025, by a single ticket sold in Ireland. Reporting at the time emphasized the scale of the win and the fact that the cap had already been reached earlier in the year.

August 19, 2025: The cap was reached once more and won immediately by a player in France, matching all numbers on the first draw at the cap—another country-defining moment and a tie with previous national records at the maximal jackpot value.

These repeated cap events in 2025 underscore how EuroMillions’ mix of Superdraws, wide-scale participation, and rollover mechanics can accelerate the jackpot to previously unprecedented heights in close succession. Official draw pages, such as the UK National Lottery’s draw history, confirm the specific dates, numbers, and jackpot sizes during these cycles. Media coverage in the UK and international outlets also tracked the run-up to the cap and the eventual wins, noting implications for national records and “Must Be Won” mechanics once the cap is sustained across multiple draws.

The Jackpot Cap: €250 Million and What It Means

EuroMillions operates a strict jackpot cap today set at €250 million which is the maximum headline amount the top prize can reach in any draw. The jackpot cannot increase further (even if more excess funds from ticket sales would normally push it higher). Excess funds that would have increased the jackpot instead “roll down” to boost the prize fund for lower tiers typically the Match 5 + 1 Lucky Star tier creating larger secondary prizes during capped periods. The jackpot can stay at its maximum value for a maximum of four consecutive draws. If no one wins the top prize in the fifth draw at the cap, a “Must Be Won” rule applies: the entire jackpot fund rolls down to the next prize tier with winners.

The current fixed cap has historical context. Before February 2020, the cap was lower and increased incrementally following periods when the cap was reached and a top prize was awarded. Between 2020 and late 2023, each time the cap was reached and won, it could increase by €10 million. Today, however, the cap is fixed at €250 million and does not rise further after wins, stabilizing the maximum jackpot level while preserving the roll-down mechanics.

In practice, this means higher-tier secondary prizes can become unusually large during cap periods. The public often sees headlines that even “Match 5 + 1 Lucky Star” winners receive atypically high payouts, due to the redirected overflow funds that would otherwise have escalated the jackpot beyond the cap. Capped cycles therefore generate more excitement across several prize tiers, not just the top jackpot.

How the Jackpot Grows: Superdraws, Rollovers, and “Must Be Won”

EuroMillions jackpots follow a clear growth pattern governed by ticket sales and special events:

Standard growth: After each draw without a jackpot winner, the jackpot rolls over, generally increasing by amounts influenced by total contributions and predetermined growth steps. In non-capped periods, this can add tens of millions between successive draws, especially during high-interest cycles.

Superdraws: Periodically, EuroMillions announces a “Superdraw” with a significantly boosted starting jackpot commonly €130 million or higher. If that Superdraw jackpot isn’t won, it rolls over like a normal jackpot, quickly accelerating toward the cap due to its already-elevated base.

Cap phase: Once the jackpot reaches €250 million, it cannot grow further. Overflow contributions go to lower tiers, and the cap can be maintained for up to four consecutive draws before a fifth “Must Be Won” draw forces a roll-down if there’s no top-tier match.

In 2025, this dynamic unfolded repeatedly. A March Superdraw helped propel the jackpot to the cap by March 28, which was then won in Austria. Subsequent cycles in June and August again raced to €250 million and culminated in high-profile single-ticket wins in Ireland and France, respectively, with the latter occurring immediately upon reaching the cap on August 19.

Latest Results Snapshot: August 2025

Official draw histories record the exact numbers, dates, and jackpots for each draw. For August 2025, the UK National Lottery’s EuroMillions draw history shows:

Tuesday, August 19, 2025: Jackpot approximately £216,150,000; numbers 24, 31, 34, 41, 43; Lucky Stars 06, 08; UK Millionaire Maker code XMPX55830. This corresponds to the capped €250 million EuroMillions jackpot draw and aligns with reporting that the winning ticket was sold in France.

Preceding August draws (Aug 1, 5, 8, 12, 15) show escalating jackpots from roughly £145 million to more than £200 million, reflecting the build-up toward the cap later realized on August 19.

Consolidated EuroMillions resources and national-lottery results pages provide the authoritative record for these draws, while news outlets documented the crescendo and public response leading into and following the big win.

Odds of Winning the EuroMillions Jackpot

The jackpot demands matching 5 main numbers from a pool and 2 Lucky Stars, making the probability of hitting the top prize extremely low—consistent with other global multi-national lotteries of similar scale. EuroMillions publishes odds for each prize tier, and national sites often provide supplemental odds for local add-ons like the UK Millionaire Maker (with illustrative Tuesday odds estimated at around 1 in 3.57 million for that £1 million raffle, distinct from the main jackpot odds).

While precise jackpot odds vary with game matrix updates through time, the fundamental point remains: the jackpot odds are long, and most prizes are won at lower tiers. The frequent rollovers and occasional Superdraws are designed to build headline jackpots and sustain player interest across Europe, while the prize structure ensures many secondary-tier winners each draw.

Taxes on EuroMillions Winnings: Country-by-Country Differences

A crucial question people search for is whether EuroMillions winnings are taxed. The short answer: it depends on where the ticket was purchased, because prizes are claimed and taxed (if applicable) in the jurisdiction of purchase.

No lottery tax on initial winnings: UK, France, Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg. In these countries, jackpot and other tier winnings are generally paid tax-free at the point of payout. However, subsequent uses of the money such as investment income or gifts can create tax obligations under local laws.

Lottery tax applies: Portugal, Spain, Switzerland. These three participating countries apply withholding or taxes on lottery winnings.

Spain: Prizes are tax-exempt up to a threshold, with tax applied above that amount; the tax is typically withheld automatically at collection.

Portugal: A flat 20% tax on the prize is commonly cited, with a lower exempt amount (around €5,000) compared with Spain’s larger tax-free band.

Switzerland: A higher rate is reported (around 35% on lottery prizes) with a small tax-exempt amount (around CHF 1,000), meaning a larger portion of big wins is taxed.

Official EuroMillions resources emphasize that prizes must be claimed in the country where the ticket was purchased, and the applicable tax treatment follows that jurisdiction’s rules even if the winner resides elsewhere. This can influence cross-border play decisions, syndicate structures, and post-win financial planning.

How Long Do Winners Have to Claim? Anonymity and Local Rules

Another common query: How long does a winner have to claim a EuroMillions jackpot? This varies by country. Reports frequently note that European lotteries allow winners weeks or months to come forward, with lotteries like France’s FDJ often citing “about 60 days” as a typical claim window, though specific durations depend on national rules and the type of prize. National lottery sites publish official claim periods for all prize tiers, and these can differ substantially between jurisdictions.

Anonymity norms also vary by country. Some national lotteries default to protecting winners’ anonymity unless consent is given to publicize the identity, while others provide winners with options to remain anonymous or go public. European reporting cultures tend to emphasize winner privacy compared with many U.S. states, and official communications often restrict details about where exactly a winning ticket was purchased until after the claim is verified—or keep those details minimal altogether.

“Must Be Won” Draws and Roll-Down Mechanics

When the jackpot is at its €250 million cap and remains unwon for four consecutive draws, the fifth draw at the cap becomes a “Must Be Won” event. If no ticket matches all five numbers and both Lucky Stars in that draw, the entire top-prize fund is rolled down to the highest tier with at least one winner—usually Match 5 + 1 Lucky Star. This can create unusually large paydays for players who just miss the jackpot by a Lucky Star, sometimes distributing life-changing sums across multiple winners at that tier.

Media coverage before the August 2025 win, for instance, highlighted the prospect of a roll-down if the jackpot remained capped without a top-tier winner, with advisories about ticket purchase deadlines and the potential for a largest-ever UK win if a British ticket took the top prize on the night. This heightened the sense of urgency and public interest in that draw cycle, which ultimately culminated with a French ticket matching all numbers on the first capped draw, making a roll-down unnecessary.

FAQs

When are EuroMillions draws held and when are the cut-off times?

Draws take place every Tuesday and Friday evening. Cut-off times for buying tickets vary by country and retailer but are usually a few hours before the draw (check your national lottery’s site). Online entries are accepted up to the published cut-off.

What’s the biggest EuroMillions jackpot ever paid?

The cap of €250 million has been reached/won in recent years; major news outlets also reported multi-hundred-million-pound/-euro wins (for example a record UK/European news story in August 2025 reporting very large jackpots). Check the official winners page for the authoritative list.

Who won the last jackpot?

News coverage and national lottery sites publish winner details (sometimes winners stay anonymous depending on country law). For the most recent winner and the winning numbers, check the official EuroMillions results page or your country’s lottery site  results are posted live after the draw.

What is a “Mega Draw” / “Superdraw”?

EuroMillions occasionally runs Mega-Draws or Superdraws with guaranteed extra-large jackpots (announced ahead of time)  ; these are promotional draws designed to boost the top prize beyond the normal rollovers. Official pages announce dates and guarantees.

In Summary

The EuroMillions jackpot is one of the world’s biggest and most exciting lottery prizes, attracting millions of players across Europe twice a week. With life-changing sums of up to €250 million, it continues to spark global interest. While the odds of winning are extremely slim, the thrill lies in the possibility and even smaller-tier prizes can still be significant.

For players, the key is to stay informed: know the rules, odds, draw times, and claiming procedures in your country, and always play responsibly. Whether you’re chasing the jackpot dream, joining a syndicate, or just buying the occasional ticket for fun, EuroMillions remains a game that captures both imagination and hope.

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