Many people are drawn to lottery games because of their simplicity. You choose numbers, wait for a draw, and hope they match. But what happens if you want to take part in a lottery that is not run in the UK, such as the Irish Lotto?
This blog will explain where you can access Irish Lotto-style play if you are based in the UK, how it works, what it costs, and how it compares with the UK Lotto. By the end, you will have a clearer idea of how this type of betting operates, and the differences between playing and betting.
Can You Buy Irish Lottery Tickets In The UK?
You cannot buy official Irish National Lottery tickets in Britain. The official version of the game is only available to people in Ireland, either in shops or through the official Irish Lottery website, and players must be physically in the country to enter.
However, UK residents can take part in Irish Lotto-style games through bookmakers and lottery betting platforms. Here, you do not buy a ticket in the official draw. Instead, you place a bet on the outcome of the numbers drawn in Ireland.
A bookmaker is a licensed operator that offers betting markets, often including sports, racing, and number-based draws. When betting on the Irish Lotto, your chosen numbers are compared against the official draw. If your selections match, the bookmaker pays you according to fixed odds. The potential payout is not from the Irish Lottery prize pool, but from the betting company itself.
This difference matters. With an official ticket, any prize is shared from the lottery fund and varies depending on sales and rollovers. With betting, the potential return is fixed and set in advance by the bookmaker.
How Much Does It Cost To Play The Irish Lottery In The UK?
The cost depends on where you bet. Bookmakers set their own minimum stakes, but most may accept bets from £1 per line. Unlike in Ireland, where the official entry is €2 per line and requires at least two lines, UK betting 
sites typically allow single-line bets.
For example, if you place £1 on one number being drawn, the bookmaker might pay £6 if it comes out. If you pick three numbers, the odds could be 700/1, so a £1 bet would return £701 if successful. These are fixed odds, which means the payout does not change based on how many people bet or how much was wagered.
Costs can vary between operators, and so can the potential returns. Some sites might allow extras, such as adding the bonus ball, which changes both the chances of winning and the potential payout rates. Before placing a bet, it can be worth looking carefully at the terms, the stake levels, and the odds offered.
How To Bet On The Irish Lotto Online
The process is straightforward. First, you choose a licensed UK operator that offers Irish Lotto betting. Once logged in, you select the draw you want to bet on. Draws are based on the official Irish Lotto, which takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8pm.
You then pick your numbers from 1 to 47. Depending on the bookmaker, you may be offered the choice of betting on the six main balls only, or on the six main balls plus the bonus ball. Selecting the bonus ball option changes how your bet is settled and usually means the potential payout is lower than betting on the six main balls alone.
You decide how many numbers to select. For example, betting on one number usually offers a smaller potential payout, while betting on five numbers is more difficult to match, but usually comes with a much larger potential return. Once you confirm your stake, your bet is placed and settled after the draw.
Remember, this is a random game of chance. The numbers are drawn independently by the Irish National Lottery, and neither you nor the bookmaker can influence the outcome.
Can A Non-Resident Win The Irish Lottery?
If you are outside of Ireland, you cannot win prizes from the official Irish National Lottery, because you are not in the real draw. You are instead betting on the results through a bookmaker. 
What you can potentially win in the UK is a fixed payout based on the odds advertised by the bookmaker. For instance, if you correctly predict four numbers, your return will be whatever the bookmaker has set for that outcome, not the amount offered in Ireland.
This is a key difference. A player in Dublin with a real ticket might share in a €2 million jackpot. A bettor in London predicting six numbers correctly will be paid by the bookmaker according to its fixed odds table.
Is The Irish Lottery Better Than The UK Lottery?
This depends entirely on what you are looking for. Both games are random, so there is no guaranteed outcome.
The Irish Lotto has a smaller number pool – 47 balls compared with the UK Lotto’s 59 – which means the chance of winning its jackpot is about 1 in 10.7 million. The UK Lotto jackpot odds are around 1 in 45 million.
However, the prize amounts are not the same. The UK Lotto jackpot can roll over and has reached more than £20 million. The Irish Lotto jackpot starts at €2 million (around £1.7 million) and rarely goes beyond €19 million. So ,while the Irish Lotto offers better odds of winning the top prize, the potential jackpot is smaller than in the UK game.
Some people might prefer the higher odds of a smaller possible prize, while others may be drawn to the chance of a larger jackpot even with longer odds. Neither option is objectively “better” – it depends on your personal preference.
Lotteries and lottery betting are forms of gambling, and the outcomes are random. There is no strategy that guarantees a win, and no method of predicting numbers. If you choose to take part, it is important to only spend what you can comfortably afford.
Setting a budget, keeping track of time spent, and avoiding chasing losses are sensible ways to keep gambling responsible. All licensed UK operators must provide tools such as deposit limits, self-exclusion, and reality checks to help you manage your play.
If at any point you feel gambling is becoming difficult, free and confidential support is available through organisations such as GamCare or the National Gambling Helpline.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.