Is EuroMillions Set To Get New Rules in 2026?

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EuroMillions is set for a shake-up in 2026, according to reports. Speculation suggests that there will be bigger jackpots, a new price point, and even an updated game matrix with more numbers to choose from and more ways to win. Find out more about all the changes that are rumoured to be on the way.

What’s Changing?

Details of what exactly will be changing for UK players are sparse at the moment, but it has been reported that the French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) has given the green light for a number of proposals to be implemented for the multi-national lottery.

A new format could be on the cards, designed so that there are more long jackpot runs. The only way to consistently create more time between jackpot wins is to reduce the odds of matching all the numbers. It may therefore be that a new number or Lucky Star is added to the draw pool. For example, instead of the current 5/50 and 2/12 matrix, it could become 5/51 and 2/13.

Limiting the chances of a jackpot win might not sound too appealing, but another reported change is planned to counteract this. By introducing a new prize category, the overall odds of receiving a prize would actually increase. This could potentially be won by matching one main number and one Lucky Star, and would require the distribution of the entire prize fund to be readjusted.

Perhaps the most exciting change of the lot is the suggestion to increase the maximum jackpot. Bigger jackpots fuel stronger ticket sales, so the participating national lotteries are all keen to see more big prizes on offer.

The largest jackpot ever won in the UK has been £195 million, while the game itself currently has a limit of €250 million (approximately £215 million). Under the new rules, the jackpot could reportedly grow up to €300 million (around £260 million). This could see a UK ticket holder become the country’s biggest-ever winner in the not-too-distant future. The €250 million jackpot cap has been reached twice so far in 2025, being won by an anonymous player in Austria in March, and an anonymous Irish family syndicate in June.

The cost of a ticket will also increase, according to the report. It currently costs £2.50 to play one line of EuroMillions, so a future rise could see it up to the £3 mark. Of course, playing EuroMillions also gives you automatic entry into the Millionaire Maker, and the new price point may see more money going towards the prize fund for the raffle. If this is the case, it could be that more prizes of £1 million become available to win. 

When’s it happening?

If these rumoured changes go ahead according to the schedule proposed by the French Gaming Authority, they will take effect on Wednesday 30th September 2026, two days in advance of the next scheduled draw.

With so much time until that date, there’s a lot that could happen as discussions continue between national lotteries and gaming authorities. The final changes that are approved may look a little different, get pushed back, or come to nothing. 

In the meantime, EuroMillions draws will continue to take place every Tuesday and Friday night, with multimillion-pound jackpots up for grabs. You can take part by visiting an authorised retailer or choosing your numbers online.