Luck can repeat itself. Star number three was drawn in two consecutive EuroMillions contests, a phenomenon that attracts the attention of bettors and could influence bets for the next draw, scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, with an accumulated prize of 39 million euros.
According to the Santa Casa Games website, the winning bracket last Friday, October 17th, was made up of the numbers 13, 35, 39, 44 and 47, and the stars 3 and 5. On the previous Tuesday, October 14th, the drawn bracket included the numbers 5, 8, 14, 16 and 18, and the stars 3 and 10. The coincidence of star three in the two consecutive draws has aroused curiosity among players.
The repeating star
According to the same source, although the odds are always the same in each draw, many bettors tend to choose numbers or stars that they consider “lucky”, especially when they appear in several brackets in a row. In the case of Euromillions, there are 12 possible stars and only two are drawn in each contest.
The repetition of the same star in consecutive draws is rare, but not impossible. The random nature of the game allows unexpected sequences to happen, as explained by the entity that manages Euromillions in Portugal.
How the game works
EuroMillions is a Mutual Betting game of the “Loto” type, based on matching five numbers out of 50 and two stars out of 12. The draws take place on Tuesdays and Fridays, in Paris, at 8 pm (7 pm in Portugal), and are broadcast late on TVI.
The game was released on February 13, 2004 in France, Spain and the United Kingdom. A few months later, on October 8 of the same year, Portugal joined the founding group, along with Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Switzerland. On that date, the drawn key was 1, 10, 12, 16, 48 and the stars 2 and 6.
Changes over the years
Since then, the game has undergone several changes. In May 2011, it began taking place twice a week and adopted the slogan “Creating eccentrics from one day to the next”. In September 2016, it now has 12 stars (previously 11), and the base bet value increased from 2 to 2.50 euros, automatically including participation in the M1lhão game.
The minimum guaranteed first prize rose to 17 million euros and the maximum value of jackpots to 130 million. Later, in 2020, the maximum ceiling became 250 million euros, recalls the same source.
Records and odds
The biggest ever EuroMillions jackpot was awarded in the United Kingdom, in July 2022, worth €230 million. In Portugal, the highest prize was 190 million, awarded in October 2014.
The average chance of winning any prize is 1 in 13, according to the website. Still, expectations remain high among Portuguese bettors, especially when there are patterns that seem to defy chance.
With 39 million euros at stake next Tuesday, many eyes will be on the three star again, waiting to see if luck insists on repeating itself.
Also read:
