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Who wants to be a Euro millionaire?

The EuroJackpot lottery stands at a record-setting 29 million euros ($38.9 million) and the rules dictate that the jackpot must be paid out on January 25.

Published: 24 January 2013 21:24 CET

Who wants to be a Euro millionaire?

Friday is the 13th draw for the EuroJackpot, but it will prove lucky for some.

The jackpot has grown to a new record size after twelve rollovers, prompting a forced payout by the organisers.

At Lottoland.com, players can already preview the EuroJackpot lottery and purchase tickets for the 29 million euros draw.

Players from Sweden need not wait until next week when the EuroJackpot goes on sale at home, giving them chance to take part in Friday’s grand draw.

The following draw on February 1 will amount to the minimum 10 million euros after the forced payout.

The current record for a EuroJackpot payout stands at 26 million euros, won by a lucky German player in August 2012.

It’s worth noting that while the odds of winning the grand prize of the EuroJackpot are approximately one in 59 million, the EuroMillions odds are considerably longer at one in 117 million.

With 245 million residents in the expanded EuroJackpot countries, it’s only a matter of time before the EuroJackpot overtakes the EuroMillions lottery in terms of jackpot sizes and millionaires made.

Lottoland players can rest easy and follow their lottery dreams, safe in the knowledge that their jackpot winnings are fully underwritten and guaranteed.

Article sponsored by Lottoland

Spain to force gamblers to set time and spending limit before playing online

Photo: PAUL ELLIS/AFP

This is the proposal in the latest draft decree of Spain’s General Directorate of Gambling which could be approved at the end of 2021 or early 2022.

Under the new rules, people who play online games such as bingo, roulette, black jack, baccarat and virtual fruit machines would have to first set how much money they intend to gamble and how long they intend to play.

Whichever of the two limits runs out first would end the gambling session.

If the law is approved, online gamblers in Spain will still be able to start another session straight afterwards, as the objective of the law is to help prevent players from losing control over what they’re spending and to give them a break to let the adrenaline rush drop and a moment to reconsider their options.

In any case, online gamblers in Spain would have a daily spending limit of €600 or €1,500 a week if the draft law is approved.

With this clause, lawmakers hope to distinguish “serious” gamblers – those who surpass the 50 percent daily limit of €300 – from those who don’t play online as regularly.

Once an online gambler was classified as “serious” (intensivo), they would not be allowed to pay for their gambling sessions with a credit card in order to prevent them from piling up debt.

Spanish authorities are particularly concerned about the increasing number of young people who are becoming addicted to gambling and betting sites, often lured in by the promise of free bets when signing up.

A 2019 report by Spain’s Federation of Rehabilitated Gamblers found that Spain has the highest rate of young gamblers (aged 14 to 21) in the EU.

READ MORE: Spain has Europe’s highest rate of teen gamblers

The pandemic, including the lockdowns, restrictions and boredom that have come with it, have only served to intensify the trend.

The average annual spending per player in Spain went from €312 in 2016 to €533 in 2020.

Under the new rules, young people would be considered “serious” gamblers if they spent 25 percent of the limits set: €150 for two days in a row, or €375 over the course of two weeks.

More than 8.5 percent of online gamblers in Spain (of the 1.5 million total of active players) do not reach the mentioned levels that signal addiction.

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