Frequently Asked Questions about New Zealand’s Bullseye lottery game.
Ever wondered what the odds of winning Bullseye are? What if your number is less than 50,000 away from the winning number? Those answers and more are here. Click on the question and get the answer.
How do I play Bullseye?
Choose a six-digit number from 000,000 to 999,999. If you match exactly with the six-digit number drawn, you win the jackpot. If you are within 50,000 numbers either side, you still win a prize depending on how close you are.
How much does it cost?
A single ticket costs $2 - but you can save $4 by playing a full week in advance, or $8 by buying into 14 draws for $20.
When is Bullseye drawn?
Every day at 06:00 p.m.
When can I buy tickets for the next draw?
Every day from 06:10 p.m. until the time of the following day's draw at 06:00 p.m.
Can I play using a Dip?
Yes - there's no specific benefit to doing so, but you can enter a random six-digit number instead of choosing your own.
Can I play multiple draws?
Yes, and uniquely there is a benefit to doing so. Bullseye normally costs $2 per ticket, but you can enter seven consecutive draws for an upfront price of $10 - a saving of $4 on the $14 normal cost. For 14 draws, you'll be charged $20 instead of the usual $28. No other New Zealand Lottery game offers a saving of this type.
What can I win?
Anything from a bonus ticket or $25 for the lowest prize tiers, up to a share of at least $100,000 for a jackpot win - or even for a lower-tier win in a Must Be Won draw (see below).
What is a Bullseye Must Be Won draw?
If the Bullseye jackpot reaches $400,000, it will be given away even if there are no jackpot winners - it is shared among all of the winners of the next tier down instead. If nobody wins Tier 2, it rolls down to Tier 3, and so on.
Why are my odds of winning a bonus ticket 1 in 11?
Logic says that you should have a 1 in 10 chance of winning a free ticket, seeing as the range for this prize tier is 100,000 numbers (50,000 either side of the Bullseye number) from a possible 1,000,000 different winning numbers.
However, there is in fact, a 1 in 11 chance of winning a free ticket in Bullseye. This is because if you are within 5,000 of the Bullseye number, you will win a higher prize. This removes 10,000 'winning' numbers from the bottom prize tier, and moves them higher up the win table, leaving 90,000 winning combinations, or about a 1 in 11 chance. Your overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 10, though.
What if my number is less than 50,000?
If you choose a number below 050,000 or above 949,999, you might feel like you are missing out on a chance to win, as there are less than 50,000 potential results on one side of your chosen number. The Bullseye rules overcome this problem by placing the numbers in a loop, so 000,000 simply follows on from 999,999. If you choose 000,100, for instance, and the result is 999,900, you will be 200 away from the winning result as the numbers loop.
How long do I have to claim my prize?
You can claim prizes up to 12 months from the date of the draw - after that any winnings are forfeited and returned to the prize pool for future draws.