Buy Polish Lotto Tickets Online

Polish Lotto (known as Lotto Polska in Poland) might not be the most well-known European lottery.

But this smaller game still has a lot of great features, a history spanning decades and consistent weekly draws that make it worth checking out.

In this guide, we’ll explore all the features that make this a game that shouldn’t be missed and show how you can buy Polish Lotto tickets online.

About Polish Lotto

Polish Lotto first came onto the scene all the way back in January 1956, when organizer Totalizator Sportowy first received a license to operate the game.

Originally known as Toto Lotek when the first draws began in 1957, the game has undergone a few changes over the years.

The first name change occurred in 1975, when it became Duzy Lotek (which translates into “big lotto”).

That name stuck for a few decades, until it was finally named its current Lotto Polska, or Poland Lotto, in October 2009.

Not only is it one of the longest-running lotteries in Poland, it is also the country's most popular.

Polish Lotto began to attract foreigners when the country joined the EU in 2004.

Since then, the increasing popularity of private online lottery sites has made it even easier for people to play Polish Lotto online outside of the country.

Polish Lotto Draws

One of the most exciting features of Polish Lotto is its tri-weekly draws. That means that instead of the usual one or two draws of most popular lotto games, Polish Lotto has three draws every week.

These draws take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 9:40 pm CET in the nation’s capital, Warsaw.

How to Play Polish Lotto

Polish Lotto follows the familiar 6/49 format, where players choose six numbers from a pool of numbers from 1 to 49.

Players can either choose their numbers themselves or select the Quick Pick option for a random selection.

Polish Lotto does not have any extra number or bonus from a separate ball pool.

To win, players must match all six numbers.

One of this lotto’s biggest attractions is the low cost of tickets.

One line costs just PLN 3-about the equivalent of US $0.80.

This is a bit more expensive than the country’s smaller game Polish Mini Lotto, which costs PLN 1.25.

Foreigners who like to buy lottery tickets through online lotto sites may have to pay a bit more.

Polish Lotto Prizes and Odds

Polish Lotto jackpots roll over if there is no winner, which can lead to some pretty substantial prizes.

Additionally, unlike some of the most popular lottery games in the world, there is no cap on the jackpot.

There are four prize tier levels, with winners needing to match a minimum of three numbers in order to win a prize.

Each draw has a minimum jackpot of PLN 2 million, which is equal to approximately US $532,000.

Polish Lotto also offers some pretty good odds, with the jackpot odds set at 1 in 13,983,816.

Though the lowest-tier prize is nowhere near as life-changing as the jackpot, the odds of winning the smaller prize are only 1 in 57.

However, these odds are similar to other lottery games that typically have larger jackpots, like Canada Lotto 6/49.

The odds and estimated prize amounts of the remaining prize tiers are as follows:

Claiming Polish Lotto Prizes

All Polish Lotto prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the draw.

Prizes of over PLN 2,000 must be claimed at a Totalizator Sportowy branch. Amounts below that threshold can be collected from any lotto retailer in the country. 

All prizes, no matter how big or small, are distributed as a lump-sum payment.

Wins exceeding PLN 2,280 are subject to a 10% federal tax within Poland.

Players purchasing tickets from outside the country may have to pay taxes twice, depending on the laws of their country of residence. 

Notable Polish Lotto Winners 

Thanks to its rollover jackpots, Polish Lotto has distributed some pretty hefty prizes. Since it first launched, this lotto has made millionaires of over 1,000 players.

To date, the largest jackpot awarded was PLN 57.8 million, which equals approximately US $15.1 million. The draw took place in May 2016, and the grand prize was split between three winners.

A close second is a prize of PLN 56.2 million, or approximately US $14.6 million, which was divided between two winners in September 2011. 

Polish Lotto-Should You Play?

Polish Lotto might not be dishing out prizes quite as big as those we see from US Powerball or Mega Millions. But the game still offers substantial jackpots for a low cost per play.

Additionally, the draw offers decent odds to players hoping to win big. The unlimited rollovers and high frequency of draws also make this a lotto worth trying out.