EuroMillions players urged to change 'birthday numbers' to improve £201m chances

This Friday's EuroMillions lottery jackpot is set to hit a staggering £201 million after Tuesday's top prize went unclaimed. Although no one scooped the jackpot, one lucky UK player came tantalisingly close – bagging a cool £680,767 for matching five numbers and one Lucky Star.

The upcoming EuroMillions draw is one of the largest in UK lottery history. However, with odds of 1 in 139 million (that's a minuscule 0.0000007%) to scoop the jackpot, you might be wondering how to boost your chances of walking away with the whole pot. According to Dave James, an odds analyst at Whataretheodds.co.uk, it's not impossible, reports Chronicle Live.

Dave explained: "You can't change the odds of the Euromillions draw itself - they're fixed - but you can absolutely reduce the chance of splitting the prize with someone else. Smart number selection is key if you're dreaming of taking home that full £201 million jackpot."

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To help you out, Dave has shared some tips on how to increase your chances of winning the EuroMillions jackpot:

Think beyond birthdays

"Many people pick numbers between 1 and 31, simply because they stick to birthdays. But the EuroMillions lets you go up to 50. By choosing higher numbers, you won't improve your odds but you'll reduce the chance of having to split the jackpot or prize money with others picking the same dates."

Start a syndicate

"If you're playing with friends, family or coworkers, a lottery syndicate is a smart move. If you all put in a few quid into the pot to buy a few tickets it increases your number coverage and boosts your overall odds, though you'll share any winnings equally. Still - half of £201 million? Not bad."

Don't neglect Lucky Stars

"You need to pick two Lucky Star numbers (1–12), and many players either randomise these or neglect them. Choosing them more strategically, especially higher or less common ones can give you a unique edge if your ticket hits."

Blend odd and even numbers

"Many players choose birthdays, anniversaries, or patterns like "1, 2, 3, 4, 5". All odd or all even combinations are statistically less common in winning tickets. The sweet spot? A mix of 3 odd and 2 even (or vice versa), which has proven most common historically."

Abandon the past winners

"It's tempting to reuse old winning combinations, but no draw influences the next. Worse still, plenty of people think the same way - meaning more chance of splitting the prize if lightning somehow strikes twice."