Swiss Lotto is Switzerland's number lottery: 6 from 42 plus a lucky number from 1 to 6, two draws per week and a jackpot that can grow without an upper limit. The largest single win so far was around CHF 64.6 million in March 2024. In this guide you will learn how the game works, which eight prize tiers exist, how the booster fund affects the jackpot and the second tier, and how Swiss Lotto compares with Lotto 6aus49 and others. As of October 2026.
📋 Swiss Lotto at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | 6 from 42 + lucky number from 1–6 (separate number pool) |
| Jackpot odds | 1 : 31,474,716 (6 matches + lucky number) |
| Ticket price | CHF 2.50 per bet, at least 2 bets per slip (CHF 5.00) |
| Draw days | Wednesday and Saturday (evening, under notarial or official supervision) |
| Jackpot | Can grow without an upper limit; topped up by the booster fund |
| Operator | Swisslos (Basel) in German-speaking Switzerland, Ticino and Liechtenstein; Loterie Romande in western Switzerland |
| First draw | 10 January 1970; current format since early 2013 |
| Prize tiers | 8 (plus the free Replay number) |
Swiss Lotto has two features that are rare in other lotteries: a "booster fund" that tops up the jackpot after a win, and a free Replay number on every slip with which you can win a free entry.
🎯 How Swiss Lotto Works Step by Step
The Rules
- Pick 6 numbers from 1 to 42 (field A) and 1 lucky number from 1 to 6 (field B) per bet – or have a Quick Tip generated at random.
- A bet costs CHF 2.50 per draw; at least two bets must be played per slip. You can take part for 1, 2, 5, 10 or 20 consecutive draws.
- On Wednesday and Saturday evenings first 6 balls are drawn from 42, then 1 ball from 6 (lucky number) and finally the Replay number from 1 to 13.
- The number of matches in field A and whether your lucky number matches determine the prize tier.
- For each confirmation receipt you automatically receive a Replay number at no extra cost; if it matches the one drawn, you win a free entry worth your stake.
If you want to cover several combinations, you can play systems: full-combination systems build all possible bets from the numbers you mark, reduced systems play only selected bets according to a plan. The stake rises in the same proportion as the number of bets played.
🔑 The Special Features in Detail
🍀 The Lucky Number
The lucky number comes from a separate pool of 1 to 6 and is drawn independently of the six main numbers. In every tier it decides whether you land in the higher or the lower class: 6 matches with the lucky number win the jackpot, 6 matches without it rank 2. This extra number is what makes the jackpot odds much longer than in a plain 6-from-42 game: 6 matches alone are 1 : 5,245,786 – with the lucky number it becomes 1 : 31,474,716.
🚀 Jackpot and Booster Fund
According to the Swisslos rules (version 3.6, valid since 7 February 2022), 54.5 % of stakes are paid out as prizes. Of this, 30.5 % of stakes go to ranks 1 and 2, and 24 % to ranks 3 to 8. How the 30.5 % is split between the jackpot and the second tier depends on the level of the booster fund: with a fund below CHF 5 million rank 1 gets 18.75 % and rank 2 gets 11.75 %, at CHF 5 to 10 million 23.75 % and 6.75 %, from CHF 10 million 26.25 % and 4.25 %. If the jackpot is not won, it is carried over to the next draw. The fund also serves to top up a new jackpot and to raise the second tier up to CHF 1 million.
🏆 Records
According to SRF, the largest jackpot ever was CHF 70 million in December 2016 and was shared by three winners. The largest single win was CHF 64.58 million in the draw of 2 March 2024; before that the record was about CHF 48.6 million from 2014.
📜 Format and History
The first draw of the Swiss number lottery took place on 10 January 1970, at that time still as 6 from 40. In early 2013, according to SRF, the game switched from 6 from 45 with a bonus number to today's format of 6 from 42 plus a lucky number; the minimum stake rose from CHF 3 to CHF 5, and the jackpot odds fell from about 1 : 24 million to about 1 : 31 million. Swiss Lotto is run on the "common pool" principle: Swisslos and Loterie Romande pool the stakes and hold a joint draw.
💰 All Prize Tiers
| Rank | Matches | Odds (per bet) | Share of stakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Jackpot) | 6 + lucky number | 1 : 31,474,716 | 18.75 % to 26.25 % (depending on booster fund) |
| 2 | 6 without lucky number | 1 : 6,294,943 | 4.25 % to 11.75 %, capped at CHF 1 million |
| 3 | 5 + lucky number | 1 : 145,716 | approx. 1.39 % |
| 4 | 5 without lucky number | 1 : 29,143 | approx. 2.52 %, capped at CHF 1,000 per bet |
| 5 | 4 + lucky number | 1 : 3,331 | approx. 1.75 % |
| 6 | 4 without lucky number | 1 : 666 | approx. 4.55 % |
| 7 | 3 + lucky number | 1 : 220 | approx. 4.40 % |
| 8 | 3 without lucky number | 1 : 44 | approx. 9.38 % |
We calculated the odds exactly. The percentage shares come from the Swisslos rules (version 3.6, as of 2022; ranks 3 to 8 converted from the 24 % block) and may be changed by Swisslos. How large a prize actually is depends on sales and the number of winners. The chance of winning any prize in the eight tiers is about 1 : 34.4. The Replay number (1 from 13) is a separate add-on game. Always check current rules and payouts with Swisslos.
📊 Analyze Swiss Lotto Statistics
Frequency, overdue numbers and distribution of all numbers and the lucky number – free and transparent.
Register for free🆚 Swiss Lotto Compared
| Lottery | Format | Jackpot odds | Price / draws per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇭 Swiss Lotto | 6 from 42 + lucky number (1–6) | 1 : 31.5 million | CHF 2.50 / 2 |
| 🇧🇪 Belgian Lotto | 6 from 45 + bonus number | 1 : 8.1 million | €1.50 / 2 |
| 🪖 Vikinglotto | 6 from 48 + 1 from 5 | 1 : 61.4 million | varies by country / 1 |
| 🇩🇪 Lotto 6aus49 | 6 from 49 + super number (0–9) | 1 : 139.8 million (tier 1) | €1.20 / 2 |
In terms of jackpot odds, Swiss Lotto sits between the Belgian Lotto and Vikinglotto. In return, the jackpot can grow without an upper limit. You can find more on the neighbouring games in our guides to the Belgian Lotto and to Vikinglotto; the article New International Lotteries 2026 gives an overview.
⚖️ Honestly: Chance Stays Chance
Every draw is an independent random event. No number is "overdue", and the lucky number can no more be predicted than the main numbers. No system and no AI model can forecast results. How to choose numbers consciously without fooling yourself is covered in Lottery Odds Explained, Lottery Strategies: What Really Works and Most Frequent Lottery Numbers. Only play with money whose loss you can afford. This article is not legal or tax advice.
✅ Pros and Cons – Who Is Swiss Lotto For?
- Better jackpot odds than Lotto 6aus49 (tier 1) or Vikinglotto
- Jackpot without an upper limit, two draws per week
- Eight prize tiers, a win with just 3 matches
- Free Replay number on every slip
- Jackpot odds roughly four times worse than the Belgian Lotto
- At least two bets per slip, so CHF 5.00 per draw
- Second tier capped at CHF 1 million, rank 4 at CHF 1,000 per bet
- The stake is calculated in Swiss francs; from Germany participation is only possible through third parties whose reliability you have to check yourself
Playing from Germany: The Swisslos rules govern participation in the Swisslos contract territory (German-speaking Switzerland, Ticino, Liechtenstein); in western Switzerland people play via Loterie Romande. From abroad, participation is usually only possible through third-party intermediary services. Check yourself whether this is permitted in your country, and verify the provider's reliability, fees and legal situation.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
When is Swiss Lotto drawn?
As a rule twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, under notarial or official supervision. Swisslos sets the entry deadlines together with Loterie Romande.
What is the lucky number?
An extra number from a separate pool of 1 to 6. It distinguishes two prize tiers from each other, for example rank 1 (with lucky number) and rank 2 (without).
What does the Replay number do?
With each confirmation receipt you automatically get a number from 1 to 13. If it is drawn, you receive a free entry in a later draw worth your stake. The chance of that is 1 : 13.
Are winnings tax-free?
In Switzerland, winnings are tax-free up to a certain amount; different rules may apply to foreigners. According to an SRF report on the 2024 record win, the first million was exempt from withholding tax on payout and 35 % of the rest was withheld. This is not tax advice – clarify your individual case with a professional.
How long can I claim a prize?
According to the rules, prizes that are not claimed within 26 weeks of the public announcement of the result expire.
Can I improve my chances?
No. With systems or several bets you cover more combinations but pay proportionally more. The probability per combination stays the same.
💡 Summary
- ✅ 6 from 42 plus lucky number (1–6), jackpot odds 1 : 31.5 million, two draws per week.
- ✅ Eight prize tiers, booster fund, free Replay number and a jackpot without an upper limit.
- ⚠️ Minimum stake CHF 5.00 per slip; price and rules can change.
- ⚠️ Pure chance: no strategy guarantees wins – play responsibly.
Sources: Swiss Lotto rules and conditions of participation by Swisslos (version 3.6, valid since 7 February 2022), SRF (2013 changeover, 2024 record win), Public Gaming International (history), Swiss media reports on jackpot levels. Odds calculated exactly.