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Loto France — Official French Lotto in 2026
France’s favourite lottery since 1976. Three draws a week, jackpots up to €36 million, and a unique 34-rollover rule that guarantees a winner. Better odds than EuroMillions, tickets from just €4.49.
What is Loto France?
Loto, officially Le Loto, is France’s national lottery, running continuously since 1976. Operated by La Française des Jeux (FDJ), it is the most-played lottery in France. Unlike EuroMillions, Loto is exclusively French.
With draws three times a week and a ticket price of just €4.49, Loto offers excellent value. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 19.1 million, far better than EuroMillions (1 in 139.8 million).
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1976 — nearly 50 years |
| Operator | La Française des Jeux (FDJ) |
| Draw days | Monday, Wednesday & Saturday |
| Draw time | ~20:30 CET |
| Ticket price | €4.49 per line |
| Starting jackpot | €2 million |
| Maximum jackpot | €36 million |
| Jackpot odds | 1 in 19,068,840 |
| Rollover cap | 34 draws then rolldown |
How to Play Loto France
Each Loto line requires two selections:
🔵 5 Main Numbers
Pick 5 numbers from 1 to 49.
🔴 Numéro Chance
Pick 1 lucky number from 1 to 10. To win the jackpot you must match all 5 main numbers plus the Numéro Chance.
Example Draw:
Loto Prize Tiers 2026
Loto France has 10 prize tiers. Matching just the Numéro Chance wins you a free ticket (€2.20 refund). Overall odds of winning any prize: approximately 1 in 6.
| Tier | Numbers Matched | Approx. Prize | Odds (1 in…) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackpot | 5 + Numéro Chance | Up to €36M | 19,068,840 |
| 2 | 5 (no Numéro Chance) | €100K – €1M | 2,118,760 |
| 3 | 4 + Numéro Chance | ~€1,000 | 282,517 |
| 4 | 4 (no Numéro Chance) | ~€500 | 31,391 |
| 5 | 3 + Numéro Chance | ~€50 | 1,677 |
| 6 | 3 (no Numéro Chance) | ~€20 | 186 |
| 7 | 2 + Numéro Chance | ~€10 | 107 |
| 8 | 2 (no Numéro Chance) | ~€5 | 12 |
| 9 | 1 + Numéro Chance | €2.20 (refund) | 10 |
| 10 | 0 + Numéro Chance | €2.20 (refund) | 22 |
The 34-Rollover Rule
One of Loto’s most distinctive features is its 34-draw rollover cap:
- If nobody wins the jackpot, it rolls over and grows for the next draw.
- This continues until someone wins, or the 34th consecutive draw without a jackpot winner is reached.
- On draw 34, a rolldown is triggered. The entire jackpot flows down to Tier 2, pushing those prizes to hundreds of thousands of euros each.
- After the rolldown, the jackpot resets to €2 million.
💡 Tip: Check our results page to track the current rollover count. Approaching draw 34, Tier 2 prizes become disproportionately large, one of the best-value times to buy a ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the starting jackpot for Loto France?
The Loto jackpot starts at €2 million after a win or rolldown. It grows with each rollover up to a maximum of €36 million, or until the 34th consecutive draw triggers a rolldown.
Can I buy multiple Loto lines on one ticket?
Yes. You can purchase multiple lines per draw, each line costs €4.49. Licensed online services allow you to add as many lines as you wish per purchase.
How does Loto compare to EuroMillions?
Loto offers much better jackpot odds (1 in 19.1M vs 1 in 139.8M), cheaper tickets (€4.49 vs €5.50), and three draws per week vs two. The tradeoff is a smaller max jackpot (€36M vs €250M). See our EuroMillions to compare both games.
Are Loto winnings taxed for international players?
France does not withhold tax on Loto winnings, prizes are paid in full at source. Tax in your home country depends on local law. See our Law & Tax.