Freedom Day Lotto

Freedom Day Lotto is a game which takes place annually on 27 April to mark Freedom Day. The jackpot for the draw is R255 million - larger than any lottery prize that has ever been paid out in South Africa. It’s an online-only game that is easy to play and also offers three other ways to win. Find out more about Freedom Day Lotto below.

Freedom Day

Celebrated on 27 April every year, Freedom Day dates back to 1994, when the first post-apartheid national elections were held in South Africa. Nelson Mandela became president on that day and looked forward to a bright future for the nation, stating that all South African hearts beat one.

Freedom Day is now a public holiday and one of the most important dates on the calendar. It commemorates the long struggle for democracy in the country and is a day of respect. It is important to honour that history and also celebrate freedom. Various events are held throughout South Africa to mark Freedom Day, and since 2022 there has also been a special online lottery draw with a nine-figure jackpot.

How to Play Freedom Day Lotto

You can take part in Freedom Day Lotto as long as you are over the age of 18. It’s an online game so you just need a smartphone, tablet or computer. Follow these steps to play:

• Pick Your Numbers - Select six main numbers from 1 to 50, plus a Joker Ball from a separate pool of 1 to 50. If you hit the Quick Pick button, a set of random numbers will be instantly generated for you.
• Play More Than One Set of Numbers - You can play more than one set of numbers to boost your chances of winning. To submit another entry, move on to the next panel and pick another set of numbers.
• Add To Cart – Hit ‘Add To Cart’ when you are happy with your selections.
• Purchase Entries - Heritage Day Lotto costs R25.50 per entry. You’ll be prompted to sign in when you select ‘Pay’ and you’ll need to make sure you have sufficient funds in your account. If you’re a new user, it just takes a moment or two to register for an online account.
• Wait For The Draw - All that’s left is to pay for your entries. You’ll need to login to your online account, or register if you are a new user, and make sure it is sufficiently funded for you to play. It costs R25.50 for a single entry.

Once you’ve bought your entries, you can wait for the draw to take place at 20:00 on 27 April. You don’t even need to check the results, as you’ll be sent an email automatically if you win. Any prize money will be paid directly into your online account, or you’ll be given further instructions if you’re lucky enough to be a jackpot winner.

Freedom Day Lotto Prizes

To win the R255 million Freedom Day Lotto jackpot, you need to match all seven of the winning numbers - the six main numbers from 1 to 50 and the Joker Ball from 1 to 5.

You can also win by matching fewer numbers – for example, there’s a R170,000 prize on offer if you get five main numbers and the Joker Ball.

The following table shows all the different ways you can win and the corresponding prize amounts.

Freedom Day Lotto only takes once a year, so the jackpot does not roll over if nobody wins. You’ve got one chance to match the numbers and make history as South Africa’s biggest-ever Lotto winner, otherwise you’ll have to wait a full 12 months.