Major Lotto change affecting millions of Australians

Aussies will soon have an extra opportunity to become a millionaire as The Lott rolls out a huge change to Lotto draws across the country.

As it stands Lotto draws take place on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday in all states and territories, but now there'll also be a new Friday addition, subject to regulatory approval.

From May 20, the Monday and Wednesday Lotto (known as Monday and Wednesday Gold Lotto in Queensland, and the Monday and Wednesday X Lotto in SA) will change to a single lottery game called Weekday Windfall across Australia, excluding WA.

Extra chance to win big coming soon

The arrival of the Weekday Windfall lottery will also see a Friday draw added, meaning there'll now be an extra chance for Aussies to win — marking it the "first significant enhancement" to the game in 12 years.

"Subject to regulatory approvals, we’re excited to see the new Weekday Windfall lottery game launch in May,” The Lott spokesperson Matt Hart told Yahoo News Australia. "Aussie players have told us that they want more opportunities to become a millionaire. At the same time, Friday is a day that people associate with excitement, positivity and dreaming about life’s possibilities."

Hart told Yahoo the Weekday Windfall game’s division one prize would also move from $1 million each for up to four division one winners, to $1 million each for up to six division one winners.

"People will be able to grab their tickets into the new Weekday Windfall game early next month, and we can’t wait to see who our first newly minted millionaires might be," he said. The chances of winning any prize in the weekday draws, remains the same Hart said.

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"As with the current Monday & Wednesday Lotto, players of the Weekday Windfall game will need to match all six winning numbers drawn to win the division one prize," he said.

Weekday Windfall draw results will be distributed after 8.30pm AEST on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays once the draw has been conducted.

Officials remind Aussies of slim chances

While lottery enthusiasts will undoubtedly be excited by the latest update, gambling officials have long warned punters it's very unlikely most will never win first prize.

Ever heard that you're more likely to die on your way to go and buy a Powerball ticket than actually winning? Turns out it's true, especially if you're driving there.

According to The Lott themselves, the chances of winning division one in Powerball, based on one standard game, are a vanishingly small one in 134,490,400.

According to Safe Work Australia, you're even more likely to die at work — by quite a long way too. In 2021, the authority reported that workers aged 65 and over had the highest fatality rate among Aussies, with 4.5 deaths per 100,000 workers.

If gambling is a problem for you, go to Gambling Help Online or call 1800 858 858.

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