On this page we offer compact information, descriptions, explanations, current developments and the most important rules of the German lottery Lotto 6 out of 49.
A half dozen numbers marked with crosses on a
ticket and then the hope of a big win.
Guessing the right lottery numbers in a lottery has been
exciting people in Europe for over 500 years, and sometimes brings great joy. In the Netherlands and Italy there were already
in the 14th century lottery-like games of chance. A
precise record of a lottery draw of numbers is handed down from May
1445. Organizing a lottery is not easy.
A complex plan of deposits and payouts is required to
turn many small contributions into one large prize. In Germany the passion for the right lottery numbers grew especially through various forms of games of chance
at fairs. Later, church and social
projects, e.g. the reconstruction of cities after major fires,
and of course empty state coffers were financed with lottery games.
Dukes, electors and kings financed entire palace complexes with state
lotteries.
The true numbers lottery, in which the gambler chooses the numbers
themselves, is documented from 1643 in Italy. In Naples,
a betting game developed into a numbers lottery with “5 out of 90”, known as
“Lotto di Genova”. Five numbers could be drawn.
As early as 1735, Elector Karl Albrecht of Bavaria introduced
a state numbers lottery in Bavaria to fill empty coffers. Repeatedly there was resistance against the growing passion
for lottery numbers. It was often claimed that the poor were being fleeced
to finance palaces of governments.
This even led to a total ban on the numbers lottery in Germany in 1862.
For decades, betting self-chosen numbers was only possible
to a limited extent via foreign lotteries.
After World War II, attempts were made in Germany to revive class lotteries.
But as interest was initially low,
the federal states decided from 1953 to reintroduce the long-prohibited numbers lottery.
In Germany the numbers could again be chosen on tickets by players themselves.
The draw still takes place in public
— in Germany on state TV under strict supervision
by a notary and millions of viewers.
The birth of modern German 6 out of 49
was on 9 October 1955, exactly at 4 p.m., when an orphan
drew the six winning numbers: 13, 41, 3, 23, 12, 16.
There was no lottery host yet and TV was not live.
Only 258,000 players generated turnover of no more than 515,000 DM.
The federal states founded independent
lottery companies. A joint block was created which
soon generated more than 5 billion turnover solely in the numbers lottery.
Today the 16 headquarters and 25,600 acceptance/sales points
secure around 70,000 jobs.
Turnover rose rapidly. With the initial
stakes of 50 pfennigs, one billion annual turnover
was reached by 1959. By 1967 it had doubled. 1975 it rose to three, 1979 to four, 1982 to five and by 1986 to
six billion DM. By 1999 unified Germany
reached the ten-billion mark.
Since then average annual turnover has been around 5 billion euros.
The first millionaire in German Lotto
6 out of 49 was determined on 2 September 1956.
They won exactly 1,043,364.50 DM. This corresponds to €533,463.80 at the official conversion,
but the present value would be many times higher. The largest
single win so far of €23,919,517.10 (for 6+super number) was
achieved on 25 May 2005 by a person from Baden-Württemberg.
The largest total payout of 6 out of 49 of €26,704,972.20
was shared by two players from North Rhine-Westphalia on 15 December
2004. The lowest 6+super payout
was in 1999, shared by 9 winners: 406,987.80 DM (€208,089.56).
But even with only 6 correct without the super number you can win over
€4 million, achieved by a player in December 1999.
On 25 April 1984, however, 69 winners with 6 correct
received only €8,644.41 each.
In over 50 years, guessing the right lottery numbers has made almost 1,500 players euro millionaires
(in DM terms over 4,700 millionaires). Jackpots
over €5 million have been paid more than 100 times.
The draw was first broadcast on German TV in 1956. Regular live broadcasts on Saturdays have taken place since 4 September 1965.
The host evokes strong emotions in Germany. With great charm
she has brought luck to living rooms for decades.
Until 1967 it was Karin Dinslage, then for three
decades Karin Tietze-Ludwig, later Franziska Reichenbacher on Saturdays and Heike Maurer on Wednesdays presented which
numbers surprise the winners.
Since 2 April 2005 the “draw of the lottery numbers”
has been broadcast from Europe’s highest TV studio,
the 53rd floor of Frankfurt’s Main Tower. Host
Franziska Reichenbacher guided viewers through one of the most popular
programs after the news, now also produced in 16:9.
For decades draws have been shown before the news and a late-night segment.
Since 1993 the exact time on Saturdays has been 19:50.
There have been numerous changes. Until 1986 simple wooden blocks on
a studio table showed
the drawn numbers; from 24 May 1986 an electronic
display was used.
Since recently, the draw results are broadcast as an online live drawing
(Live drawing on lotto.de).
Some players who felt close to great fortune during the draw
were sobered by the announcement of payouts.
In early May 2003, the “six correct” 5-14-23-32-41-48
brought 133 winners only €26,000 each.
The symmetric pattern, unlikely in a computer-optimized system,
also gave 16 jackpot winners “only” €570,000 each.
Many choose simple sequences or birthday numbers,
causing clusters and low individual payouts.
To avoid disappointment when choosing numbers, consider five rules.
A Swiss study (Prof. Hans Riedwyl) showed many players use simple
combinations that devalue their ticket.
E.g., sequence 01-02-03-04-05-06 can be chosen up to 10,000 times.
An intelligently selected ticket has much higher chances
of a high individual payout.
David Copperfield claimed on German TV he could foresee
numbers months in advance — and later revealed matching numbers.
His “explanation” was mental focus. For ordinary players,
computer-optimized systems are more realistic than clairvoyance.
Uri Geller suggested numbers have “magic”, e.g., 11 and its multiples, or sums equaling 11, and encouraged using children’s birthdays. He believes winners tend to be positive and open-minded. By the way — have you tried our new number generator based on birthday/combination number (here: 14012022)?
Numbers are unpredictable; chaos theory deals with sensitive dependence
on initial conditions. Odds for 6 correct are extremely small and constant
(1:13,983,816), but payouts depend on how many share the win.
You can influence payouts by choosing less popular combinations — see the six rules.
Choosing reliably random-looking numbers doesn’t improve winning odds,
but can increase your potential individual payout.
The right lottery numbers are like little children: they’re always misbehaving!
On 4 October 1997, 124 German players formed the same “U” pattern — each received “only” 50,000 DM. In June 1977, 205 players copied the prior week’s Dutch winning line.
Counting frequent/rare numbers is tempting. Over 50+ years, 32 was most frequent,
13 least. The most frequent super number is 4.
There are few good systems and many weak ones. Science also looks at finding the right numbers, e.g., at the University of Hohenheim. Prof. Karl Bosch explains: odds are always equal regardless of choice; repeats are as likely as any other combination. High payouts require numbers that few others choose. In 1999, 38,000 players had 5 correct with 2-3-4-5-6 and won only 380 DM each. A still-hard problem is the minimal number of lines guaranteeing a 3; brute force across 13,983,816 draws is infeasible. More on minimal lines to guarantee a 3 can be found on our software page.
Otherwise, lottery and other games (Keno, Glücksspirale, Spiel 77, Super 6, etc.) are well studied mathematically. Concerns about addiction focus more on booming online casinos than on lottery. Prof. Bosch plays occasionally — as a private person, not as a researcher.
Lottery numbers fall randomly — or not! Parapsychology and magic claim insights, but scientifically humans are poor random generators.
When asked to “imagine” dice outcomes, humans avoid streaks and over-enforce balance.
Many choose numbers that “haven’t appeared lately”, misunderstanding expectation.
Balls have no memory; nor does the host when starting the machine.
Neurobiology shows humans seek patterns. Favorite numbers and grid patterns
lower potential payouts. Lotteries don’t publish the distribution of picked numbers,
but Prof. Bosch analyzed nearly 7 million lines and found 19, then 9, 7, 17, 10, 11
were most popular. Syndicates try to avoid popular numbers but charge fees.
Individual systems like our two free systems with “win guarantee” (usually not cost-covering!) in
Winnersystem MELM are better for individuals.
Generating mathematically perfect randomness is hard.
Real systems are influenced by tiny perturbations — “chaotic systems”.
Roulette can sometimes be modeled; the lottery machine with 49 moving balls
is far too complex. Hence the draw is effectively unpredictable.
The relationship between payouts by tier and lottery results becomes clearer after a quick look at our archive.
Have the lottery rules changed since 1955?
Yes, multiple times! Key dates and rules of Lotto 6 out of 49 in Germany:
9 October 1955 – first draw in Hamburg. Only 4 tiers (3, 4, 5, 6 correct). One draw weekly on Sunday.
21 October 1956 – introduction of the supplementary number (only affects 5 correct; new tier 2).
4 September 1965 – draws moved to Saturday, still weekly.
28 April 1982 – Wednesday lottery introduced with 7 out of 38 and 5 tiers; supplementary number only affects tier 2 (6+supplement).
4 June 1986 – Wednesday rules changed to 6 out of 49 (two draws A and B); now 6 needed for tier 1.
7 December 1991 – super number introduced, only affects tier 1; supplementary now also affects 3 correct. Total 7 tiers.
22 May 1999 – new tier “4 correct + supplementary”, total 8 tiers on Saturday (Wednesday stayed at 7 with draws A and B).
6 December 2000 – Wednesday draw B removed; now 8 equal tiers, similar Wednesday/Saturday draws.
5 May 2013 – supplementary number removed.
23 September 2020 – stake per line to €1.20, jackpots of tiers 1 and 2 capped at €45m each (no forced payout on 13th draw), fixed €6 in lowest tier 9 (two correct + super), minor changes = current rules.
Rules have been adjusted repeatedly. Many historical draws aren’t comparable for statistics.
Our archive offers “current” results and payouts from Saturday, 4 May 2013 (current rules in effect).
Also note: randomness can’t be beaten; balls have no memory; each draw is independent. Earlier there was a supplementary number distinguishing tiers like 3, 3+supplement, then 4 correct. And that wasn’t the only change!
All information without guarantee