Where to bet on Lucky Numbers

What qualifies for this list

A bookmaker is listed if it offers Lucky Numbers betting, according to our markets data. The list is ranked in our betting order. Lucky Numbers is offered by most provincially licensed bookmakers, and it’s one of the most popular bet types in South Africa because it’s simple and runs every day.

How Lucky Numbers betting works

You bet on what a lottery draw will produce, at fixed odds set by the bookmaker. The draws most South Africans bet on are:

• UK49s Lunchtime and Teatime, two draws a day.
• Powerball-style and Lotto-style draws, from South Africa and abroad.
• International lotteries such as Irish, Greek and others, at many bookmakers.

The common bet is to pick one to five numbers and win if all of them come up. Many bookmakers also offer odd/even, high/low, booster ball and colour bets. Because odds are fixed, you know your possible return when you place the bet.

Common Lucky Numbers bets

• Pick 1 to 5. Choose up to five numbers; all must come up for the bet to win. The more numbers you pick, the higher the odds and the less likely the win.
• Booster or bonus ball. Bet on which number is drawn as the extra ball, or whether your number is the bonus ball.
• Odd/even and high/low. Whether more odd or even numbers come up, or whether the total or a particular ball is high or low.
• Colours. Some draws assign colours to number ranges, and you bet on the colour of a given ball.
• Totals. Whether the sum of the drawn numbers is over or under a line.

Lucky Numbers odds are fixed and published in each bookmaker’s rules. Because every draw is independent, there’s no such thing as a number that’s “due”. Avoid paid tipster groups that sell number picks; nobody can predict a random draw.

How to choose a Lucky Numbers site

1. Odds for the bet you place most. Each bookmaker pays different odds for, say, “two numbers from six”. Compare the odds tables; small differences add up.
2. Draw range. Some offer dozens of daily draws; others only the main ones.
3. Cut-off times. How close to the draw you can still bet.
4. Lucky Numbers promotions. Cashback, draw free bets and boosts are worth more than a general welcome offer if Lucky Numbers is all you bet on.

Our picks for Lucky Numbers

• Best overall Lucky Numbers bookmaker: Betfred, with a broad draw range and its Triple 7 welcome offer.
• Best long-standing local favourite: Hollywoodbets, with daily draws and a R25 sign-up free bet.
• Best Lucky Numbers promotions: YesPlay, with Lucky Numbers cashback of 10%, a R10 UK49s free bet and a R50 Powerball free bet on their terms.
• Best Lucky Numbers with a sign-up free bet: Supabets, with a R50 free bet for registering.
• Best lottery specialist: LottoStar, built around lottery betting, licensed by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator.

Terms to watch on Lucky Numbers offers

• Qualifying draws. Draw free bets usually apply to one named draw.
• Maximum payouts. Bookmakers cap the total they’ll pay on a single draw. Check the cap before a big multi-number bet.
• Sign-up free bets and Lucky Numbers. Some sign-up free bets can be used on Lucky Numbers; others are sport only.
• Cashback rules. Lucky Numbers cashback is usually a percentage of net losses over a period, paid as bonus money.

Lucky Numbers is quick and runs all day, which makes it easy to bet more often than you meant to. Set a daily limit in your account. Use our odds converter to see the probability behind any price, and see the best betting sites for the full ranking.