Tonight’s EuroMillions jackpot has rolled over to a whopping £136 million. But should you bother gambling?
The EuroMillions jackpot for today (Friday October 7) is worth £136 million, after no-one purchased the winning ticket for Tuesday’s draw.
While that’s a staggering amount, it’s still some way off the largest-ever win: back in 2012, Adrian and Gillian Bayford from Suffolk pocketed £148 million.
Still, we wouldn’t turn our noses up at tonight’s jackpot. So is it worth a flutter?
More competition, worse odds
There are three things to keep in mind before buying a ticket.
Firstly, the cost playing EuroMillions increased from £2 to £2.50 a couple of weeks ago and, as an additional kick in the teeth, your odds of winning the jackpot also lengthened: from one in 117 million to one in 140 million.
You can read all about the price hikes and format revamp here.
Second, if you do buy a ticket and win a prize tonight, you’re probably going to have to share it with more people than usual. That’s because big jackpots lure more players, which means more competition for winnings.
Finally, it’s a form of gambling, with the most likely statistical outcome being you lose your money.
Manage your risk
If you’re still happy to go ahead, then best of luck. But as we're a financial website, we'll point out that there are two safer alternatives.
Firstly, you could go down the Premium Bonds route. Unlike a traditional savings account, all bondholders' interest is bundled together and paid out in monthly prizes of up to £1 million.
You’re definitely not guaranteed to win anything, but at least you won’t lose your initial stake either.
Or, you could simply put your money in a best buy savings account or a high-interest current account. Boring? Absolutely. But at least you’re guaranteed to make some money out of it.
Earn up to 5% on your savings: compare current accounts
More on loveMONEY:
October Premium Bond winners announced
Cost of playing EuroMillions rises to £2.50
Where to earn the most interest on your cash