Frequently asked questions

France Lotto (Loto) is the official French lottery operated by FDJ, La Française des Jeux. The game launched in 1976 and is regulated by the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ). Players pick 5 numbers from 1 to 49 and 1 Chance number from 1 to 10. Matching all six wins the jackpot.

Three times a week: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings, around 8:20pm SAST (9:20pm in the SA winter). Results are published about half an hour later.

The game was created by decree in 1975 and the first draw was held on 19 May 1976 at the Théâtre de l'Empire, Paris. The current 5/49 + 1/10 format has been in place since 6 October 2008.

1 in 19,068,840. This comes from FDJ's published odds (C(49,5) × 10 = ~19M). There are smaller prize tiers for matching fewer numbers, the easiest of which is matching just the Chance number (1 in 10), which returns your stake.

France Lotto jackpots start at a minimum of €2 million and roll over by approximately €1 million per draw when no one wins. Jackpots have climbed into the tens of millions of euros after long rollover runs. There is no published cap.

You cannot open a direct account with FDJ because FDJ requires French domicile and geo-blocks South African IP addresses. South African players bet on France Lotto through licensed local fixed-odds operators. We recommend YesPlay, the SA sportsbook that takes bets on France Lotto draws.

Yes, as long as you bet through a Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board licensed operator. YesPlay holds licence number 10180204-013. Betting on foreign draws through local licensed operators is legal and regulated.

South African lottery and betting winnings are generally not subject to personal income tax, but foreign lottery treatment isn't fully clarified by SARS. Check with SARS or a tax professional for your specific situation.

FDJ's official site is restricted to French and specific EU domiciles. South African visitors get an error. We publish France Lotto results here so SA players can track draws without accessing FDJ directly.

The Chance number is the bonus ball drawn separately from the main 5. It comes from a 1–10 pool. Matching the Chance alone (with no main numbers) wins you back your stake (about €2.20 equivalent). Matching Chance + some main numbers wins bigger payouts.

If no one matches all 5 main + Chance, the jackpot grows by roughly €1 million and carries forward to the next draw. This can repeat many times, pushing jackpots into the tens of millions before someone wins.

Official results go live on fdj.fr around 20:35 Paris time. We update this site within minutes of FDJ publishing. For South Africa, that's typically about 8:35pm SAST in summer or 9:35pm SAST in winter.

Yes. Every draw page shows all 9 prize tiers, the number of winners at each level, and the amounts won. This is published by FDJ after the draw closes.

We have France Lotto draws on record since 2009, around 2,734 results in total. Results from before 2009 are not in our archive, though the game's full history since 1976 is maintained by FDJ.

Results are verified against FDJ's official publication for every draw. If you spot an error, send the draw date to [email protected] and we will check and correct it.

We update within a few minutes of each draw being officially published. If you find a missing recent result, email us and we will add it right away.

The main France Lotto page carries frequency tables showing which numbers have appeared most and least often across the archive. These are interesting but don't predict future draws. Every draw is independent.

No. Francelotto.co.za is an independent results, archive and statistics site. We are not affiliated with FDJ or the ANJ. FDJ operates the lottery in France; we publish results for the South African audience.

An independent South African team built francelotto.co.za to give SA players a fast, clean place to find France Lotto results and analytics. The site has no formal relationship with FDJ or the French regulator.

No. We do not sell lottery tickets. We publish results and analysis only. South African players who want to bet on France Lotto can do so through YesPlay or another licensed local operator.

Our free predictions feature runs a frequency analysis on France Lotto's full draw history (frequency, hot/cold, pair patterns). Each prediction is a starting point, not a guarantee. Past results do not change future odds.

No. Nothing improves the underlying odds of any lottery, including analytics or predictions. The true odds are fixed by the game format. Predictions are entertainment shaped by history, not a system that beats randomness.

Lottery games are games of pure chance. We do not promote gambling or advise that it will make you money. If you choose to play, treat it as entertainment with money you can afford to lose.

If gaming is affecting your wellbeing, help is available. In France: +33 9 74 75 13 13 (Joueurs Info Service, daily ~8am–2am). In South Africa: 0800 006 008 (National Responsible Gambling Programme, toll-free).

Yes. Most operators, including YesPlay, offer deposit and betting limits so you can control your spending. Use these tools to keep play within your budget.

Yes. You must be 18+ to play. France Lotto and all licensed betting are age-restricted.