How to Play SA Daily Lotto
South Africa’s National Lottery makes sure that local players have game fun every day of the week, all thanks to their regular games like the Daily Lotto lottery.
In a Hurry?
For a quick recap or to get you started, here are the Daily Lotto must-know facts.
| Numbers to win the jackpot | 5 |
|---|---|
| Jackpot type | Roll Down |
| Number range | 1 – 36 |
| Prize categories | 4 |
| Draw days | Daily (7 days a week) (no draw on Christmas Day) |
| Draw time (SA Time) | ~9 pm |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Claim period | 1 year |
| Jackpot odds | 1:376,992 |
Daily Lotto Basics and Rules
The Daily Lotto has a simple structure so players can quickly catch the gist of the game. But, strict rules form the foundation of the operator’s activities in South Africa, so familarise yourself with what’s expected of you as a player.
Playing Daily Lotto
The low price of this game makes it a very affordable lottery to try out. For newbies to these types of games, it’s a cheap method of practicing your hand at different strategies to increase your chances of winning.
| Feature | Rules | Important Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Minimum age to play: 18 | Brick-and-mortar establishments and online platforms want confirmation that you’re old enough to partake. Documentation may need to be supplied before you can buy a ticket. |
| Cost | Standard price: ZAR3.00 | You’ll pay ZAR3.00 at all official National Lottery retailers, including the operator’s website and app. When using other platforms there are usually service and convenience fees involved. |
Rules and Structure
There are draws each day of the week and you can also buy tickets every day. The game comprises a straightforward Pick 5 system and you need all five correct to win the main prize.
The National Lottery infrastructure is designed to either capture your own set of chosen numbers, or assign a random set to your ticket.
Understanding the Daily Lotto Structure
When playing Daily Lotto you’ll come across the following features and terminologies:
- Numbers to pick: All players must pick 5 numbers from a number range of 1 – 36.
- Odds: Because of the lower number of balls in this game, compared to Powerball, you have excellent odds of 1 in 376,992 of winning the main prize. To win a prize in the lowest tier you have a 1 in 8.4 chance of getting it right.
- Draw: For any of the South African National Lottery games, the draw is held using a random number generator. This type of computer system selects the numbers, without any intervention by a human. So, unlike games such as Mega Millions, there are no physical numbered balls drawn from a container. Each electronic draw is officially audited.
- Prize divisions: Prize divisions, categories, or tiers refer to the different groups of winners. A division is based on how many correct numbers the ticket holder has. For Daily Lotto there is Division 1 with the jackpot prize, up to Division 4, with the lowest one allowing you to win money even if you only have two numbers correct.
- Jackpot roll down: Unlike rollover jackpots found in Lotto and US Powerball, in Daily Lotto, the main prize money must be given to ticket holders every day. In a scenario where there are no jackpot winners, the prize money allocated as a jackpot will roll down to the second tier. This considerably increases the money won by Division 2 ticket holders.
- Prize pool: As is the case with many other National Lottery games, like Powerball and Lotto, the prize system is reliant on ticket sales. A chunk of ticket sales is allocated to the prize pool. Then, each prize division receives a percentage of the prize pool.
Drawings and Prizes
A reason for this game’s popularity with South African players is its frequency. With 7 draws a week, you have a lot of chances to strike it lucky!
- Draw days: Mondays to Sundays, except 25 December (Christmas Day)
- Time: 21:00 local time
- Results availability: You’ll find Daily Lotto results on various platforms, including the National Lottery Twitter page, soon after each draw.
As mentioned above, the prizes are based on a prize pool system, with the size of each draw’s prize pool determined by the number of tickets sold for that event. Policies stipulate which percentage of the funds are allocated to each division:
| Category | Numbers Matched | % of Prize Pool / Fixed Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Division 1 | 5 | 35.6% |
| Division 2 | 4 | 8.2% |
| Division 3 | 3 | 16.4% |
| Division 4 | 2 | 39.8% |
Note the following to understand how your winnings will be calculated:
- The funds for each division are split equally between all the winners in that category. Therefore, if there are many winners, your share becomes smaller.
- Roll down rules also apply to lower divisions. For example, although it’s unlikely, in the event that there are no winners in either Division 1 or Division 2, the prize money will be shared between Division 3 winners.
Thanks to good odds, it’s very likely that you’ll fall into one of the prize categories soon. Then, make sure you get your cash in one of the following ways:
| Where did you buy your ticket? | Process for claiming a prize |
|---|---|
| Registered outlet | Up to ZAR2,000, you can claim at any affiliated outlet, but larger prizes require a visit to the Post Office or regional office. |
| National Lottery website or app, or banking app | Automated payouts take place for small prizes, but large prizes must be claimed in person by visiting a National Lottery regional office. |
| Online lottery services | Lottery sites differ in policies, but most payouts happen automatically as long as account information is verified. |
How to Buy a Daily Lotto Lottery Ticket
| Daily Lotto playing method | Cost |
|---|---|
| Playing at registered brick-and-mortar outlets | ZAR3.00 |
| Official operator’s website/app | ZAR3.00 |
| Your Banking app | Standard price of ZAR3.00 is usually charged with banks like Nedbank, FNB and ABSA, but a minimum number of boards and convenience fees may apply in some cases. |
| Online lottery site services |
|
| USSD | ZAR3.00 |
- Brick and mortar stores sell tickets until 8:30 pm for a particular draw. You can buy tickets for draws on other days if you wish.
- With banks, cut off times for that night’s draw are often 8:25 pm. Note that other guidelines may apply, such as no sales between midnight and 6 am. Review your bank’s policies to confirm.
- Each online platform, like a lottery site, will have its own policies.
- Registered retailers
- Operator website
- Operator app
- Online banking and banking apps
- Online lottery sites, where you can purchase authentic tickets OR bet on the outcome of Daily Lotto
How to Play Daily Lotto Online
An online lottery site will help you be part of lotteries in one of two ways:
- Bet on the outcome of the draw
- Use the lottery service as your personal shopper that purchases authentic tickets for you and sends you scanned copies as proof
Luckily, Daily Lotto is one of the South African lotteries often showcased on these platforms, so international players can have fun on any day of the week.
Online lottery sites all differ, but when using these services, the steps to play will be similar to the following:
1. Compare and pick platforms – Review policies, startup bonuses and payment methods to identify the best platform for you.
2. Sign up – Create a free account, which will require proving your identity and age.
Source: theLotter
3. Check welcome bonus – See welcome bonus requirements so you can make full use of them.
4. Top up your wallet – You need funds in your player’s account to pay for tickets.
5. Pick Daily Lotto – Scroll down the ‘Lotteries’ list or find Daily Lotto with help of the platform’s filters.
Source: Lotto Agent
6. Select lines and 5 numbers for each – Minimum lines may apply. You can use Quick Pick for random selection, or pick your own numbers.
Source: theLotter
7. Manage subscriptions – Enter the numbers in multiple draws or confirm a subscription. Discounts may apply.
8. Confirm and pay – Click the relevant button to confirm your tickets.
9. Confirmation from vendor – Your user account will show all lottery tickets you’ve bought. You may also receive confirmation of each new purchase via email or text.
10. Compare with official results –Use results online and see if you’ve won – but most vendors do inform all winners via email or text.
11. Get your prize – Automatic payments usually take place, although some vendors expect jackpot winners to claim in person.
How to Play Daily Lotto In-Store
The National Lottery has a wide network of registered brick-and-mortar retailers that sell Daily Lotto tickets and other SA lotteries’ tickets. So, you may be able to purchase a ticket at the grocery store, a fuel station or even some restaurants. All kiosks are clearly marked.
An in-store employee will assist you with the purchase, that will require these steps:
1. Fill in a betslip – Paper betslips are kept at kiosks. Use a blue or black pen, or a pencil to indicate:
- Chosen numbers or Quick Pick
- Number of draws
- Board cancellation if you made a mistake
2. Submit betslip – Attendant will take ticket and capture information electronically.
Note that you can also communicate your ticket information verbally, without filling in a ticket. But using a ticket is an easy and safe method to ensure the right information is captured.
3. Identification – You may be asked for proof of identification, to confirm you’re old enough to play.
4. Payment – Pay for your ticket in cash, since lottery kiosks don’t accept cards as payment.
5. Receive your ticket (receipt) – A printed receipt serves as proof of your purchase and contains all your ticket information.
6. Fill in your personal information – To prove ownership, complete the back of the ticket by entering your name, ID number and address.
7. Compare results – When Daily Lotto results become available, compare it with your ticket.
8. Claim winnings – All winnings must be done in person.
How to Play Daily Lotto via Banking Apps & More
Your favourite South African bank can also give you a daily chance to win, since most of them sell Daily Lotto tickets to their online banking clients.
Source: FNB
Another local option is the National Lottery’s own app or website.
Source: National Lottery
This table will give you insight into what to expect in terms of costs and workflows when you play:
- Create an account, free of charge.
- Complete registration by providing proof of identification and address.
- Use OTP codes and emails sent by the operator to confirm the account.
- Complete your account before you can start to play. (You must set security questions and confirm a bank account).
- Pick Daily Lotto in the ‘Play Now’ menu.
- Enter your numbers or use the provided ‘Quick Pick’ feature.
- Pay.
Must know information:
- You can use the same player account with the operator’s app and website.
- The operator will pay out small prizes with an automated system, but larger prizes will need in person claims processes at a regional office.
- Get the app.
- Install the app (you need to allow installations from unknown sources in ‘Settings’ if you’re using an Android device).
- Create an account or use your National Lottery user details.
- On the main menu, pick ‘Play’.
- Select ‘Daily Lotto’.
- Pick 5 numbers by clicking on them or click on ‘Quick Pick’ for a random set of numbers.
- Confirm and pay.
- Log out.
- The app is available for Android (v 4.0 or later) and iOS (v 11.0 or later)
- The app also helps find lottery retailers in your area.
- For security purposes, log out of the app after buying tickets. This prevents anyone else using your account or changing details of your profile.
Each bank’s USSD workflow is different and menu options will guide you through the process. The basic steps are:
- Dial your bank’s lottery USSD code (You’ll use the same one whether you’re playing Powerball, Lotto or Daily Lotto).
- Confirm the bank account the funds will be deducted from.
- Confirm the lottery to play.
- Use menu options to make board and number selections.
- Finalise the ticket and pay.
- Menus may include ‘Results’ options that will display draw details.
You can use this method even if you don’t have much data on your phone. You don’t have to recharge first, because the funds will come from your bank, not your mobile phone account.
The number to dial depends on which bank you have an account with:
- ABSA: *120*2272#
- Capitec: *120*3279#
- FNB: *130*321#
- Nedbank: *120*001#
- Standard Bank: *120*2345#
Most South African banks assist through processes that will resemble the following steps:
- Make sure online banking is activated for your account.
- Log in to your account.
- On the main menu, pick ‘Buy’.
- Select ‘Daily Lotto’.
- Pick your numbers or use features like ‘Spin’ or ‘Quick Pick’ for random numbers.
- Follow prompts to confirm the ticket purchase.
Important notes:
- You can use similar steps whether using your mobile phone app or most banks’ online banking websites.
- Banks may set daily limits of tickets or funds you can spend on a specific lottery.
- Banks can charge a convenience fee or set a minimum number of boards you need to play.
- Apps have useful features such as showing past tickets and up to date results.
- Small prizes are transferred straight to the relevant bank account, but large prizes must be claimed elsewhere. You’ll usually receive a reference number to use for the claim.
Source: National Lottery
How to Know if You Won the Daily Lotto
Some methods of playing Daily Lotto will give you automated payouts or inform you when you’re a winner, but it all depends on how you bought those tickets. Here’s a table to help you make sure you don’t miss out on a win:
| Where you play Daily Lotto | How to know you’ve won |
|---|---|
| Affiliated retailer | Check results yourself, and claim in person by presenting a ticket. |
| Bank app | Banks usually notify winners, or you can use the ‘Results’ menu options to manually confirm if you’ve won. |
| Official operator’s website/app | You’ll receive automated notifications. You can view communication in the ‘Messages’ section of your profile. |
| Online lottery sites | Receive notifications by email/text or view them in your player profile. Also use our Daily Lotto results page if you want to double check the outcome and how much you’ve won, since they often publish prize details for all prize tiers. |
What Happens If You Win the Daily Lotto?
To get your Daily Lotto prize, sometimes you can trust automated processes, but you may need to follow manual claims processes too. These are all the factors that will determine a winner’s next steps:
- Play platform/retailer: Online lottery sites, banks and National Lottery app users can expect automated payout to their accounts, but players at brick-and-mortar outlets must claim all prizes in person.
- Prize amount: For those playing at retailers, make claims for ZAR2,000 or less at any outlet, but between ZAR2,000 and ZAR49,999 will require a visit to the South African Post Office. When Daily Lotto prizes are ZAR50,000 or more, you’ll need to visit one of the eight regional offices in South Africa.
- Location: The benefit of lottery sites that allow you to play international lotteries is that your winnings are paid to your account automatically. However, review the platform’s policies before you play, because some vendors expect big prize winners to travel to South Africa and claim money in person.
- Lump sum: The National Lottery only pays out jackpots as lump sums. You may require a financial advisor if the Daily Lotto has a huge jackpot on the day you’re the winner.
- Anonymity: Rules and legislation in South Africa can’t force you to make your win public, so Daily Lotto jackpot winners must choose whether to claim anonymously. This is a smart option to protect your privacy.
- Professional advice: Use the National Lottery’s resources of counsellors or get professional financial advisors to help you manage your money wisely after a win.
Final Thoughts
Daily Lotto is another of the attractive games the National Lottery launched for South African players. You have chances of winning throughout the week while you plan your strategies for playing Lotto or EuroMillions. And, thanks to lottery sites, even international players can have fun with it. Or, South Africans can play while travelling overseas!
The great odds and low cost are some of the most attractive features, and now you know exactly how to play Daily Lotto. Everyone should try this game at least once!
FAQs
Yes, thanks to lottery sites that you can access from many countries around the globe, you can play popular South African lotteries and some of them also have Daily Lotto as part of their portfolio. South Africans can also attempt to buy via their banking apps when abroad, but do check with each institution if additional costs will apply.
Similar to other National Lottery games in South Africa, you must be at least 18 years old to legally purchase a ticket. Anyone claiming a prize must also be able to show they’re old enough to play before money will be paid out.
Players must have their tickets in hand 30 minutes before a draw takes place when buying in store. Online services may have different cut off times, such as some banks that already close ticket sales at 20:25 for that night’s draw.
Daily Lotto is one of the most affordable lottery tickets in South Africa, as it’s priced at only ZAR3.00. This is cheaper than Lotto and Powerball tickets, but these larger lotteries do have bigger jackpots.
The Daily Lotto lottery only requires 5 numbers. They all come from the number range 1 to 36.
This lottery has draws every day of the week. You can play from Monday right through until Sunday, and there’s a jackpot prize up for grabs each time. Lottery policies only state that there’s no draw on Christmas Day of each year.
Thanks to South African tax laws, players aren’t required to pay tax on lottery winnings. Paying tax will only become legally required if you play a lot and win regularly, resulting in this becoming your main income source.
The National Lottery doesn’t stipulate any limit to the size of the jackpot. The amount is always determined by how many ticket sales there were for a specific draw.
The National Lottery allows one year for all prize claims. After 365 days, your ticket will no longer be valid.
DailyLotto is ZAR 300,000 on