How to Play EuroMillions from South Africa: A Complete Guide

Yes. EuroMillions is sold officially in nine European countries, and South Africa isn't one of them - but the game has no nationality or residency restriction. Any player aged 18 or over with a valid ticket bought inside a participating country can take part.

South Africans reach that ticket through a lottery courier. The courier's agents in Europe buy a genuine official ticket on your behalf, scan it to your account, and store the original. You own a real ticket in the real Tuesday and Friday draws, competing for the same jackpot as a European player.

Yes. There is no South African law prohibiting residents from participating in overseas lotteries - South Africans are free to play international games such as EuroMillions, US Mega Millions, El Gordo and SuperEnalotto. Your participation and how you receive any prize then depend on the rules of the country whose lottery you're playing.

The practical advice is to use only a registered, licensed courier or agent. Playing through unlicensed or illegal operators is where problems arise, so stick to established services with verifiable credentials.

1. Choose a licensed lottery courier that offers EuroMillions to South African players.
2. Register and verify your details (you must be at least 18).
3. Pick five main numbers (1-50) and two Lucky Stars (1-12), or use a Quick Pick.
4. Choose a single draw or a subscription across Tuesday/Friday draws.
5. Pay in your local currency plus the courier's small service fee - no percentage is taken from winnings.
6. The courier uploads a scan of your official ticket before the draw.
7. You're notified automatically of any win; the courier helps with the formal claim for large jackpots.

You pay the euro face value of the ticket (around €2.50 per line) plus the courier's service fee. Because the fee is how the courier earns, you keep 100% of any prize at payout. You pay in rand, so the total moves with the EUR/ZAR exchange rate. A legitimate courier never charges a fee to release a prize - any upfront 'release' or 'tax' payment demand is a scam.

For South Africans the position is favourable. South African lottery winnings are specifically exempt from income tax, so prizes aren't taxed at home. And foreign winnings are generally taxed (if at all) in the country where the lottery was played, not in South Africa - income from outside South Africa of this kind, and gambling-type winnings, are typically not taxed domestically.

The one thing to keep in mind is the same as everywhere: once your winnings are deposited and start earning interest or investment returns, that subsequent income can be taxable. The prize itself, though, is not.

On the European side, EuroMillions prizes are paid in full in most participating countries, with Spain, Portugal and Switzerland the exceptions that withhold tax above set thresholds. Since a EuroMillions prize is claimed in the country of purchase, the country your courier buys in determines any European-side tax - so for a large prize, a ticket bought in a tax-free country (UK, France, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg) is the cleaner choice.

To win the jackpot you must match all five main numbers plus both Lucky Stars - odds of about 1 in 139,838,160. The jackpot is one of 13 prize tiers; the overall odds of winning some prize are roughly 1 in 13. The jackpot starts at €17 million and is capped at €250 million. Two weekly draws across nine countries are why EuroMillions jackpots reach such heights.

The rule that defeats most lottery fraud: you cannot win a draw you never entered. A 'you've won' message for a ticket you never bought is always a scam.

• Never pay a fee to release winnings.
• Use only registered, licensed couriers - unlicensed operators are where winnings can be seized or lost.
• Never share banking passwords or PINs.
• Treat unsolicited winner notifications as fraud.

Play within your means, as entertainment, and the risk is minimal.