What Is EuroMillions and Why Should You Care?
EuroMillions is Europe's biggest multinational lottery, played across nine countries including France, Spain, and the UK. Draws happen every Tuesday and Friday at 8:00 PM CET. The jackpot starts at €17 million and can roll up to a cap of €250 million — the record is €230 million, set in July 2022.
Here's why that matters for Latin American players: the jackpot odds are 1 in 139,838,160. That's roughly 2x better than US Powerball (1 in 292 million) and nearly 3x better than Mega Millions (1 in 302 million). And in most European countries, lottery prizes are completely tax-free. The advertised amount is what winners actually receive.
Compare that to Mega-Sena, where Brazil's 13.8% tax bite is taken before you see a centavo. Or Powerball, where US federal tax alone takes 37% off the top, plus state taxes.
EuroMillions isn't the lottery with the best odds in the world — far from it. But if you're chasing a life-changing jackpot with better odds than the US mega-lotteries, and you want to keep the full prize, it deserves a spot on your radar. For full details on the game, check our EuroMillions lottery page.
How Latin Americans Can Buy EuroMillions Tickets Online
You're not buying tickets directly from the EuroMillions website — that's restricted to residents of the nine participating European countries. Instead, you use a licensed lottery courier service.
The biggest and most established is theLotter, which has been operating since 2002 and has paid out over $120 million in winnings. Here's how the process works:
- Create an account on theLotter and verify your identity (standard KYC — a photo ID and proof of address).
- Select EuroMillions and choose your numbers — 5 main numbers from 1-50, plus 2 Lucky Stars from 1-12. You can also use Quick Pick for random numbers.
- Pay online via credit card, debit card, or bank transfer. A single EuroMillions line costs around $5 USD through theLotter (€2.50 base price plus service fee).
- theLotter's local agents in Europe purchase an official ticket at an authorized retailer on your behalf. They scan it and upload it to your account.
- You own the ticket. If you win, theLotter collects the prize and transfers it to your account. For jackpots, they fly you to Europe to claim in person.
The key point: you're not betting on lottery outcomes or playing some simulated version. A real, physical ticket exists with your numbers on it, purchased at a real European retailer. theLotter is the courier, not the lottery operator.
One thing worth knowing: theLotter has been doing this for over two decades. They've paid out more than $120 million in winnings, including a $30 million Florida Lotto jackpot to a woman from Panama in 2017. They're licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, which is one of the most respected gambling regulators in the world. This isn't some fly-by-night operation.
EuroMillions vs Mega-Sena: Head-to-Head for Brazilian Players
If you're in Brazil, Mega-Sena is home turf. But how does it stack up against EuroMillions?
Jackpot odds: Mega-Sena is 1 in 50,063,860. EuroMillions is 1 in 139,838,160. Mega-Sena's odds are about 2.8x better — a meaningful advantage.
Ticket price: Mega-Sena costs R$5 (~$1 USD). EuroMillions through theLotter costs around $5 USD. Mega-Sena is significantly cheaper per line.
Jackpot size: Mega-Sena jackpots typically range from R$3 million to R$300 million ($600K to $60M USD). EuroMillions starts at €17 million ($18.5M USD) and can hit €250 million ($272M USD). EuroMillions wins on sheer jackpot size by a wide margin.
Tax treatment: Mega-Sena prizes are taxed at 13.8% in Brazil. EuroMillions prizes are tax-free in most participating countries. If you're a non-resident winner claiming through a courier, tax treatment depends on your home country's rules — but the base prize isn't reduced at the European end.
Draw frequency: Both draw twice weekly. Mega-Sena on Wednesday and Saturday. EuroMillions on Tuesday and Friday. You could actually play both without any overlap.
The verdict: Mega-Sena gives you better odds at a fraction of the price. EuroMillions gives you access to much larger, tax-free jackpots. Playing both with a small weekly budget is a perfectly reasonable strategy. For a deeper comparison, read our Mega-Sena vs Powerball breakdown.
EuroMillions vs Melate: Head-to-Head for Mexican Players
Mexican players have Melate, the country's flagship lottery. Here's how it compares:
Jackpot odds: Melate is 1 in 32,468,436. EuroMillions is 1 in 139,838,160. Melate's odds are over 4x better.
Ticket price: Melate costs MX$15 (~$1 USD). EuroMillions through theLotter is around $5 USD. Melate is far cheaper.
Jackpot size: Melate jackpots rarely exceed MX$500 million (~$29M USD). EuroMillions routinely exceeds €100 million ($109M USD) and can hit €250 million. The gap in potential payout is enormous.
Tax treatment: Mexico taxes lottery winnings at 7% federal (plus 1-6% state tax). EuroMillions prizes are tax-free in Europe. Mexico's lottery tax rate is already one of the lowest in the world, so the tax advantage of EuroMillions is smaller here than for Brazilian players.
Bonus value: Each Melate ticket also enters you into Melate Retro and Revanchita draws — three chances for the price of one. EuroMillions has the Millionaire Maker raffle that creates at least one guaranteed millionaire per draw, but that's only for tickets purchased in participating countries.
For Mexican players, Melate is the everyday play — cheap, great odds, triple entries. EuroMillions is the big swing when you want a shot at a truly massive, tax-free European jackpot. Both have a place in a smart lottery budget. Check our Mexico lottery guide for more options.
Important Restrictions: Who Can and Can't Play
A few critical things to know before you buy:
US residents cannot buy international lottery tickets online. Federal law prohibits it, and services like theLotter block US IP addresses for international lotteries. If you're a US citizen living in Latin America, you may be able to play — but verify with theLotter's support team first. theLotter does operate theLotter.us for domestic US lottery purchases in select states (AZ, NY, MN, OR), but that's a separate service.
Age requirements vary by country. Most lotteries require players to be 18+. Some European countries set the minimum at 16. theLotter enforces 18+ across the board.
Winnings collection depends on prize size. Small prizes (under a few thousand euros) are automatically credited to your theLotter account and can be withdrawn to your bank. Medium prizes may require additional verification. For jackpot wins, theLotter arranges travel to the country where the ticket was purchased so you can claim in person — they cover the logistics.
Currency conversion is on you. You'll pay for tickets in USD or EUR. Winnings from EuroMillions are paid in euros. Your bank or payment provider will handle the conversion to your local currency (BRL, MXN, COP, etc.), and exchange rate fees apply. For large prizes, consider using a forex broker rather than a standard bank transfer — the savings can be significant.
Strategies for Playing EuroMillions from Latin America
A few approaches that make sense for international players:
Play when the jackpot is capped. EuroMillions caps at €250 million. When the jackpot reaches the cap and isn't won, excess funds flow down to lower prize tiers. This means more secondary prizes and better overall expected value. Watch for cap draws and play those specifically.
Use subscriptions to automate entries. theLotter lets you set up recurring purchases so you never miss a draw. If you're playing EuroMillions regularly, a subscription removes the friction of logging in twice a week.
Consider syndicates. theLotter offers syndicate play where you pool entries with other players. You buy shares in a group that purchases dozens of lines. Your individual payout is smaller if the group wins, but your odds of winning something improve substantially. A 50-line syndicate gives you roughly 50x better odds than a single ticket.
Mix EuroMillions with local lotteries. Don't abandon Mega-Sena or Melate — they offer better individual odds at lower prices. A reasonable weekly budget might be: 2-3 lines of your local lottery ($2-5) plus 1 EuroMillions line ($5) when the jackpot is above €100 million. Total spend: under $10/week.
Set a hard budget. This applies to every lottery everywhere. Decide your monthly lottery spend before you start, and don't exceed it regardless of jackpot size. The odds don't change when the jackpot grows — only the prize does.
Watch for special EuroMillions events. EuroMillions occasionally runs Superdraw events where the jackpot is boosted to a guaranteed amount — typically €130 million or more. These events don't change the odds, but they increase the guaranteed minimum jackpot, which improves the expected value per ticket. theLotter will typically feature these prominently when they're announced.
Other European Lotteries Worth Playing from Latin America
EuroMillions isn't the only European lottery available through courier services. Here are three more worth knowing about:
EuroJackpot: The same odds as EuroMillions (1 in 139,838,160) but played across 19 European countries. The jackpot caps at €120 million — smaller than EuroMillions, but when it hits the cap, lower prize tiers get boosted. Draws Tuesday and Friday.
La Primitiva (Spain): A classic 6/49 format with jackpot odds of 1 in 13,983,816 — 10x better than EuroMillions. Tickets cost just €1. Jackpots are smaller (record: €101 million), but the odds are outstanding. One of the best value lotteries in the world.
SuperEnalotto (Italy): The opposite end of the spectrum. Jackpot odds of 1 in 622,614,630 — the hardest lottery jackpot in the world to win. But with no cap on rollovers, the jackpot has reached €371 million. For players who want the absolute biggest possible prize and don't mind astronomical odds, SuperEnalotto is the play. Italy taxes prizes at 20% on amounts over €500.
All three are available through theLotter for Latin American players.
One more option worth mentioning: the UK National Lottery has jackpot odds of 1 in 45,057,474 — much better than EuroMillions — and prizes are completely tax-free. The jackpot caps at £22 million with a mandatory rolldown, which means someone always wins when the cap is reached. If you want better odds and guaranteed payouts over massive but unlikely jackpots, the UK Lotto is a smart complement to EuroMillions.
Browse all available international lotteries on our international lottery hub.
Ready to Play? Here's Your Next Step
If you're in Latin America and want to try EuroMillions, here's the simplest path:
- Check the current EuroMillions jackpot. If it's above €50 million, the prize-to-odds ratio starts getting interesting.
- Sign up on theLotter, verify your identity, and purchase a single EuroMillions line for the next draw.
- Set a monthly budget. One line per week costs roughly $20/month — less than most people spend on coffee.
- Keep playing your local lottery too. Mega-Sena and Melate offer better odds at lower prices. EuroMillions is the big-jackpot supplement, not a replacement.
We earn a commission when you sign up through our link — that's how we keep this site running. But the recommendation is genuine: theLotter has been operating for over 20 years, has paid out $120M+ in winnings, and is the most trusted courier service in the industry.
