Did you know that playing lottery games has long been part of human history, at least since one of the earliest lotteries was held by Moses to assign land west of the River Jordan? In the modern world, the revenue from lotteries has historically been used for ‘good causes’. In Massachusetts and Pennsylvania in the eighteenth century, funds received from lotteries were used to protect the coastline from the French, build colleges like Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, and construct churches.
With the start of the Australian lottery in Sydney, and as there were no poker machines, the state government of Victoria awarded Tattersall the right to conduct a weekly lottery to raise additional revenue to complement the health system. From that day onwards, Lotto was introduced every week.
Australian Saturday Lotto is one of the most popular games in Australia and is played across all states and territories. Although the game is widely known as Lotto in most parts of Australia, it is called Tattslotto in Victoria, Tasmania, Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, goes under the name of Gold Lotto in Queensland, and is known as X Lotto in South Australia.
Few Facts
- TattsLotto from Tatts Group is a weekly lottery game played on Saturday nights in Australia. The first TattsLotto draw was televised by Melbourne television station HSV7 on 22 June 1972.
- TattsLotto aims to match as many winning numbers drawn from the barrel as possible with the numbers in a single game on your ticket.
- The TattsLotto game has forty-five balls numbered 1 to 45, of which eight are randomly selected. Draws occur every Saturday at 8.30 pm. The first six balls drawn are the “winning numbers”, and the last two drawn are the “supplementary numbers”. You win if you match the right combination of winning and supplementary numbers with your entry.
- Australian Tattslotto offers a guaranteed Division One prize pool of $4 million—a far cry from the top prize of $50,000 when it began in 1972. It took a while for lottery games to catch on, but when Superdraws were introduced, more Australians embraced the game.
- The popularity of Australian Tattslotto has also led to the launch of some new games.
How to Play TattsLotto
Playing TattsLotto gives you the chance to make yourself a millionaire each Saturday. An estimated $4 Million Division 1 prize pool each Saturday and Superdraws of up to and over $20 Million throughout the year. TattsLotto also offers you the chance to play and win $30 Million or more in the special Mega-draw held during the Christmas/New Year period.
In Saturday Lotto, players must choose six numbers between 1 and 45. Players can pick their numbers in several ways: they may choose to select their own, have the lottery machine give them a Quick Pick with random numbers, or use one of the number selection games available on Oz Lotteries—such as Ball Wars, an arcade-style video game reminiscent of Galaga Galaxian or Space Invaders.
- In TattsLotto, you must match as many winning numbers drawn from the barrel as possible with the numbers in a single game on your ticket.
- The TattsLotto game has forty-five balls numbered 1 to 45, of which eight are randomly selected. Draws occur every Saturday at 8.30 pm. The first six balls drawn are the “winning numbers”, and the last two drawn are the “supplementary numbers”. You win if you match the right combination of winning and supplementary numbers with your entry.
- You can play QuickPicks if you are playing lotto for the first time because your numbers are generated at random for you. QuickPicks are available in the following sizes: Regular QuickPick – 12 Games, Super QuickPick – 18 Games, Mega QuickPick – 24 Games, Jumbo QuickPick – 36 Games and Maxi QuickPick – 50 Games. Mark your numbers on the TattsLotto coupon at your local Tatts Outlet, or select your numbers when you TattsLotto online. Mark 6 numbers in each game panel and play 4 – 18 game panels.
- A System Entry allows you to play more numbers per game for a greater chance to win. For example, to win Division 1 in TattsLotto, you need all six winning numbers. To increase your chances of winning, you could play a System 9, which means you can choose nine numbers for that game rather than the usual six, giving you 84 equivalent games. Take a TattsLotto coupon at your local Tatts Outlet, or select your numbers when you buy TattsLotto online. Mark 7 – 20 numbers in each game panel (e.g. mark 9 numbers for a System 9 Entry, etc). Play 1 – 50 games on a QuickPick coupon. Play 1 – 18 games on a marked coupon. Mark the “System/Pick” check box on your coupon, or select this option when you buy TattsLotto online.
- Play a Pick entry, and you can guarantee yourself either one or two of the winning numbers required to win that game. You can play a Pick entry with your favourite numbers on a marked coupon or as a QuickPick. For example, if you play a Pick 4 Entry for TattsLotto, you are guaranteed two out of the six winning numbers, and you only have to pick the remaining four winning numbers in that game panel. For a Pick 4 entry – mark 4 numbers in each game panel (gives you 2 out of the 6 winning numbers). For a Pick 5 entry – mark 5 numbers in each game panel (gives you 1 out of the 6 winning numbers). Play 1 – 50 games on a QuickPick coupon. Play 1 – 18 games on a marked coupon. Mark the “System/Pick” check box on your coupon, or select this option when you buy TattsLotto online.
- When playing a Standard, System or Pick Entry, if you have marked only a few game panels and want to play a bigger entry, ask for a Top Up. The remaining game panels are quickly picked for you as standard games up to 9 (game option for OZ Lotto only), 12, 18, 24, 36 or 50 games. Let your Retailer know how many games you want to top up to, or if you are purchasing online, you can select the ‘quick pick row’ or ‘quick pick un-filled games’ options to Top Up a Standard, System or Pick Entry.
- Play a Multi-week entry if you’re away and don’t want to miss getting your entry in. It allows you to play the same numbers in your favourite game for 2 to 10 weeks.
- You can also try TattsLotto Super-draw Entries for specific draws, which are available up to 10 weeks before any lotto draw date.
Having the Prizes
Winning is always exciting! A win may be of any amount that proves a player lucky. Prize values can range from a few dollars to a few million dollars,, so there are several ways to claim your prize.
The Saturday Lotto jackpot is worth an estimated $4 million each week. The notable exception is the Saturday Lotto Superdraw, held several times a year and can offer cash jackpots of up to $30,000,000.
When it comes time for the draw at 8:30 pm AEST every Saturday, eight numbers are chosen from a barrel containing 45 balls (one for each number that could potentially be drawn). The first six numbers drawn are the official winning numbers for that week’s draw, while the final two are considered supplementary numbers. These extra balls do not count towards the Saturday Lotto jackpot but can help players win lesser prizes.
With huge nationwide participation and shorter Division One odds than either Powerball or Oz Lotto, there are normally multiple jackpot winners in every TattsLotto draw. However, in the rare event of no first-division winner, the top prize will roll over and increase to $8 million the following week.
Prizes less than $1,500 and Lucky Lotteries free tickets may be claimed at any Tatts Outlet in Victoria and Tasmania, provided the entry was purchased in one of these jurisdictions. Tickets purchased in the Northern Territory with prizes less than $1,500 and Lucky Lotteries free tickets may be claimed at any Tatts Outlet in the Northern Territory.
For Tatts Card members, it’s easy to check if they’ve won a prize. Have your card scanned in-store at a Tatts Outlet, and the lottery terminal will let you know if you have any unclaimed prizes.
Claiming your prize at Tatts Outlets
All prizes over $1,500 can be claimed within six months of a draw by completing the Prize Claim Form and following the instructions.
- Download and complete the Prize Claim Form and include this in an envelope together with the ORIGINAL winning lottery ticket/s and/or syndicate share, remembering to write your name and address on the back of the ticket/s and keep copies for your records.
- Secure the Prize Claim Form and your ORIGINAL winning lottery tickets in an envelope, affix a postage stamp and post to the address ADMINISTRATION PO Box 888 MELBOURNE VIC 3004
- Your prize payment will be processed and paid within 10 working days of Tatts Administration receiving your Prize Claim Form. Cheque payments will be mailed directly to the claimant, or, for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), payment will be deposited directly into the nominated bank account.
- You can lodge your claim in person at the Tatts Victorian Office address; however, cash prizes cannot be paid at this address: Tatts Victorian Office, Level 1, 411 Collins Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000
- First-division prizes are only available for payment from the first business day two weeks following the draw. All lower-division prizes are available the next day.
- Tickets purchased in Victoria should be forwarded directly to the State Revenue Office for claiming prizes more than six months before the draw date. To make a claim, write your name and address on the back of the original ticket and send the ticket to State Revenue Office Unclaimed Moneys GPO Box 1641 Melbourne VIC 3001. For prizes that remain unclaimed after six months from the draw date from tickets purchased in Tasmania, don’t hesitate to contact Tatts Customer Service. For the Northern Territory, Prizes that remain unclaimed after six months from the draw date can be claimed by completing the Prize Claim Form and following the mailing instructions. and prizes must be claimed within 3 years from the draw date.
- Contact Tatts Victorian Office, 1/411 Collins Street, for further information.
MELBOURNE VIC 3000 between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm, Monday through Friday, OR Call Tatts Customer Service on 131 868 during business hours: 8 am—5 pm Monday through Saturday and 8 am—2 pm Sunday.
Buying Tickets/Entries to play TattsLotto
Buying lotto entries online anytime, anywhere, directly from Tattersalls, Australia’s oldest and most trusted lottery, is quick and easy. Whether buying Gold Lotto tickets online or at a local land-based newsagency, players typically must purchase at least four standard games at a time. Of course, you may buy multiple tickets simultaneously, and several alternatives exist to play standard tickets.
- You can join by signing up and registering yourself at the website tattersalls.com.au
- You should be 18+ and a resident of an Australian or International jurisdiction. Deposit when convenient and make online purchases whenever you wish. There is no minimum account balance or spending requirement, and tickets are the same price as at a Tatts outlet. Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive a welcome email with your member login details.
- If you have funds in your lotto account, you can buy a QuickPick in less than 60 seconds. Alternatively, you can buy using a web-enabled mobile phone and receive an email copy of your ticket.
- You can transfer funds by BPay via your bank or ‘on the go’ with Visa or MasterCard through a secure payment gateway.
- If you win from an online purchase, you will automatically be informed by email. Your prize money will also be directly deposited into your lotto account.
- Your online account has a comprehensive account history and allows you to cancel tickets up to the close of the draw.
- All the helpful information you need is available online. You can also email or call for assistance.
- For internet purchasing, you must be a resident of VIC, ACT, NT, TAS, or selected international jurisdictions and over 18. You will also be required to confirm your identity before you can withdraw funds from your account.
Tatts Card
Tatts Card is a membership card that gives you many benefits when you link it online with your account.
- You can view your retail and online ticket history, as well as your prize history and even your unclaimed prizes. You can also check your tickets using the “Results Overlay” function.
- Favourites are a great way to save and play your special numbers, and you can save up to 50 sets of Favourites. You can play a Favourite anytime you hand your Tatts Card to your local Tatts retailer. Plus, if you have a Tatts Card linked to an online lottery account, you can save, play, and edit your favourites online.
- You can also pay your Tatts Card membership fees online. You can pay your membership fees for 1, 2, 3 or 5 years. You can also pick up an application form in-store at Tatts outlet. Tatts Cards are delivered to you within 21 days of joining, and all cards come with a convenient key ring card that works like a Tatts Card.