Euromillions History

The EuroMillions began as an idea conceived by the FDJ (La Francaise De Jeux) of France who decided to create a lotto game involving multiple European nations. This game would boast higher prizes because it would be available to far more people, and thus take more money in ticket sales. The FDJ hoped to launch this Euro Millions in 1994 to coincide with the launch of the pan-European currency the Euro. However due to organisational reasons the company took a further ten years to hold it’s first draw.

On Friday the 13th of February 2004, the Euro Millions would hold it’s first draw live in Paris with a huge €15,000,000 Euro jackpot prize. Tickets were sold for this first draw by only the FDJ in France, Camelot in the UK and Loteria Y Apuestas Del Estado in Spain. These three nations continued to offer a jackpot of at least €15,000,000 each and every Friday until the games popularity grew. In October 2004 the rapid growth in EuroLotto popularity saw another six European nations join the game: Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Ireland and Portugal.

The game system has remained almost identical since the beginning, except that a second draw was added with the new nations on a Tuesday. Prize funds for the EuroLottery have only grown in size as more and more people play from all over the world online.