The most drawn EuroMillions number is 44, appearing 224 times across the 1,958 draws to the end of June 2026, followed by 42 and 23; the most frequent Lucky Stars are 2 and 3. In the current 59 ball Lotto era the leaders are 37, 39 and 42. Every combination remains exactly as likely as any other in every draw.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED 25 JULY 2026
- EuroMillions all time leaders: 44 (224 appearances), 42 (222), 23 (221), 19 (217) and 29 (216); Lucky Stars 2 (389) and 3 (385); the rarest ball is 22 (154)
- Lotto current era leaders (since the 59 ball change in October 2015): 37, 39, 42, 52, 27 and 11; the least drawn include 21, 48 and 44
- The frequencies are curiosities, not predictions: every ball carries identical odds in every draw, and gaps of this size are exactly what randomness produces
- The one genuinely useful statistic is popularity, not frequency: unpopular numbers (over 31, non patterns) mean fewer winners to split with
- Winnings are tax free in the UK, but the interest a win earns afterwards is not, which is where the real planning starts
| Game | Most drawn | Least drawn | Notes |
| EuroMillions main (all time) | 44, 42, 23, 19, 29 | 22 (154 appearances) | 1,958 draws to 30 June 2026 |
| EuroMillions Lucky Stars | 2 (389), 3 (385) | Later additions appear less by design | Star pool grew in 2011 and 2016 |
| Lotto main (59 ball era) | 37, 39, 42, 52, 27, 11 | 21, 48, 44, 30, 55, 26 | Since 10 October 2015, bonus ball excluded |
| What it predicts | Nothing | Nothing | Every combination equally likely, every draw |
KEY FACTS
- EuroMillions data covers all 1,958 draws from 13 February 2004 to 30 June 2026; the jackpot has been won 444 times, 22.7% of draws
- Lotto's ball pool grew from 49 to 59 on 10 October 2015, and since 10 June 2026 each draw night runs two rounds for the same ticket
- Jackpot odds: Lotto 1 in 45,057,474 per line; EuroMillions 1 in 139,838,160
- In January 1995, 133 ticket holders shared a Lotto jackpot, receiving about £122,510 each: the classic cost of popular numbers
- The EuroMillions jackpot cap of 250 million euros was reached three times in 2025
- The source data is the official National Lottery draw archive, free to anyone: frequency tables carry no private information
Lottery games are gambling and are restricted to players aged 18 and over in the UK. Frequency statistics carry no predictive value; play only with money set aside for entertainment.
Where the numbers actually come from
Every most drawn list, including the ones in the national press, is computed from the same free public source: the official draw history archives published by the operator for Lotto and EuroMillions. Nobody holds private lottery data; the differences between articles are freshness and honesty.
The tables above are compiled from that archive to the most recent draws before the review date shown. Frequencies drift with every draw, which is why a most drawn article with no date attached is quietly out of date the week it is published, and why this page carries its data window explicitly.
What the frequencies genuinely tell you
Nothing predictive. Lottery machines have no memory: ball 44 leading EuroMillions with 224 appearances against ball 22's 154 is precisely the spread randomness produces over two decades, and both balls carry identical odds in the next draw. Hot and cold numbers are pattern seeking applied to noise.
The same applies to overdue numbers, bounce back theories and position analysis: no past draw changes any future one. Regulators require the games to be provably random, and the draw machines are tested to exactly that standard. A frequency table is a history book, not a forecast.
The honest odds deserve stating plainly: 1 in 45,057,474 per Lotto line and 1 in 139,838,160 for the EuroMillions jackpot. Frequency reading does not move either number by a hair.
The one statistic that is actually worth money
Popularity, not frequency. Jackpots split between every winning ticket, and millions of players pick birthdays (1 to 31), lucky sevens and visual patterns. Choosing unpopular numbers cannot make a win more likely, but it makes any win bigger by reducing the crowd sharing it.
The canonical demonstration came in January 1995, when 133 ticket holders matched the same six numbers and collected about £122,510 each from a jackpot that would otherwise have paid millions to a handful. Number spreads heavy in 32 to 59, avoiding neat sequences and ticket grid patterns, are the practical translation.
This inverts the usual most drawn advice: piling onto famous hot numbers is the worst of both worlds, since the numbers are no likelier to appear and demonstrably more people are holding them if they do.
The 2026 changes worth knowing
Lotto changed materially on 10 June 2026: each draw night now runs two rounds of numbers on the same ticket for the same price, doubling the sets drawn per night. EuroMillions reached its 250 million euro jackpot cap three times during 2025, the level at which the top prize stops growing.
The two round change resets Lotto frequency statistics in a small way: current era tables now accumulate two sets per draw night, so year on year comparisons straddling June 2026 mix two different regimes. It changes nothing about the odds of any individual line.
Tax free winnings, taxable everything after
UK lottery winnings carry no tax on the win itself: no income tax, no capital gains, whatever the size. What follows is taxable as normal: interest on a deposited win counts against the Personal Savings Allowance immediately, and larger wins generate five figure annual interest at current rates.
A £500,000 win in ordinary savings at around 4% produces roughly £20,000 of interest a year, nearly all of it taxable for most winners. ISA capacity, Premium Bonds and joint planning between partners are the standard first moves, and gifts from winnings can create inheritance tax exposure under the seven year rules, which is where professional advice earns its fee.
Reading a most drawn table sensibly
- Check the data window: frequencies without a date are stale by definition
- Treat every frequency as history, never as a forecast of any draw
- If playing, prefer unpopular numbers (over 31, no patterns) to shrink any future prize split
- Ignore systems sold on hot, cold or overdue numbers: the machines have no memory
- Plan the boring part: winnings are tax free, but the interest they earn is not
RELATED GUIDES
DISCLAIMER
This article is editorial information, not financial advice. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Figures were correct at the last review date shown above; verify current rates and rules with the primary sources listed below before acting.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most drawn EuroMillions numbers?
44 leads all time with 224 appearances across 1,958 draws to 30 June 2026, followed by 42 (222), 23 (221), 19 (217) and 29 (216). The most frequent Lucky Stars are 2 and 3, and the rarest main ball is 22.
What are the most drawn Lotto numbers?
In the current 59 ball era running since October 2015: 37, 39, 42, 52, 27 and 11, with the bonus ball excluded. The least drawn include 21, 48 and 44.
Do the most drawn numbers improve my chances?
No. Every ball and every combination carries identical odds in every draw; the machines have no memory, and frequency gaps of the observed size are exactly what randomness produces over decades.
Is there any statistic worth using?
Popularity: unpopular numbers (over 31, avoiding sequences and grid patterns) shrink the number of winners a jackpot splits between. In January 1995, 133 tickets shared one Lotto jackpot at about £122,510 each.
What changed with Lotto in 2026?
From 10 June 2026 each draw night runs two rounds of numbers on the same ticket for the same price. Individual line odds are unchanged; frequency tables now accumulate faster.
Are lottery winnings taxed in the UK?
The win itself is entirely tax free. The interest it earns afterwards is taxable against normal savings allowances, and gifts from winnings can create inheritance tax exposure under the seven year rules.
SOURCES
- The National Lottery: draw history and results – accessed 25 July 2026
- GOV.UK: Tax on savings interest – accessed 25 July 2026
- Gambling Commission – accessed 25 July 2026
