Your lifetime lottery bill
Spending 10 dollars or euros a week for 40 years adds up to 20,800 of them. On average the prizes give part of it back. The rest is the bill: from €10,318 with Greek Lotto to $16,762 with Powerball. Put in your own habit below.
Your own habit
Choose 0.5 to 10000 a week, 1 to 60 years, interest of 0 to 15% and, if you like, your pay an hour.
Over 40 years you spend 20,800 in each game's currency.
Saved instead at 0% a year, the same money would grow to 20,800.
| Game | Back on average | The bill | A year | Hours of work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powerball | $4,038 | $16,762 | $419 | |
| Mega Millions | $5,369 | $15,431 | $386 | |
| EuroMillions | €4,844 | €15,956 | €399 | |
| Eurojackpot | €10,123 | €10,677 | €267 | |
| Tzoker | €5,973 | €14,827 | €371 | |
| Greek Lotto | €10,482 | €10,318 | €258 |
How it is worked out
The bill is what you spend minus what the prizes give back on average, before tax. Each game's average payback is the one on its "is it worth it?" page, at the smallest jackpot. A bigger jackpot lowers the bill a little, and that page shows by how much.
Interest is added every week, as if you put the same amount aside each week. Amounts are not adjusted for inflation.
An average does not tell you what happens to you: a few people win more, most lose more. Each game's simulator shows the whole range.