From the Lotto to TV game shows like Come Dine with Me or the Cube, we’re obsessed with winning. But what are the chances of winning the Lotto by region and what TV shows offer the best chance and largest prize pots? MrQ has analysed the top regions across the UK that have the best chance of winning the national lottery as well as what TV game shows have the best chance of success. So find out where to purchase your next Lottery ticket to maximise your chances of winning the big bucks.
The Midlands are Luckiest Lottery Players in the UK, Followed by the South East of England
According to the National Lottery, the odds of winning the Lotto jackpot is 1 in 45,057,474. However, our chances increase significantly for winning the Health Lottery or Thunderball, with a 1 in 2 million and 1 in 8 million chance of winning each respectively.
But how do our chances of winning the Lotto Jackpot deviate based on where in the UK you live? New data reveals that the midlands are composed of the luckiest Lotto players, with 6662 winners dispersed across cities like Birmingham, Nottingham and Leicester.
The South East and North West of England have the next luckiest inhabitants according to the Lotto participation with 6171 winners in the South East and a further 5758 winners inhabiting the North West. Northern Ireland, on the other hand, has only 921 winners, significantly lower than the other areas. This is followed by Wales and the North East as the UK’s unluckiest National Lottery winners. McDonald's Monopoly has also recently restarted after a two-year absence due to the pandemic, with a 1 in 16 million chance of winning up to £100,000, trips to Ibiza or even free food for up to a year.
These are the Top 10 Most Winnable UK TV Show, with Up to a 50% of Success
Analysing the top UK game shows, Countdown and Family Fortunes offer contestants a 50% chance of winning. As one of the most popular shows, Countdown also has the largest number of contestants with a staggering 14,916 participants to try their hand throughout its 83 seasons. The relatively modern and equally popular Come Dine With Me takes the next spot with the contestants competing to host the best dinner party and then voting against each other to reveal who comes out on top. With £1000 up for grabs, the participants have a 25% chance of winning, depending on their cooking skills, wit and charisma as a dinner party host or hostess.
| Rank | Show | Category | Total Contestants | Total Winners | Estimated Chances of Winning | Total Seasons | Total Episodes | Contestants/Teams Per Prize Pot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Family Fortunes | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 1,108 | 554 | 50% | 22 | 554 | 2 |
| 2 | Countdown | Vs Competitors | 14,916 | 7,458 | 50% | 83 | 7,458 | 2 |
| 3 | Come Dine With Me | Vs Competitors | 4,204 | 1,051 | 25% | 45 | 1,051 | 4 |
| 4 | Great British Bake Off | Vs Competitors | 132 | 11 | 8.33% | 11 | 104 | 12 |
| 5 | Eggheads | Vs Show | 1,870 | 121 | 6.47% | 20 | 1,870 | / |
| 6 | The Apprentice | Vs Competitors | 240 | 15 | 6.25% | 15 | 184 | 16 |
| 7 | Love Island | Dating/Vs Competitors | 224 | 14 | 6.25% | 7 | 266 | 32 |
| 8 | Britain's Got Talent | Vs Competitors | 560 | 14 | 2.5% | 14 | 185 | 40 |
| 9 | The Voice UK | Vs Competitors | 440 | 10 | 2.27% | 10 | 62 | 44 |
| 10 | Mastermind | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 4,890 | 45 | 0.92% | 45 | 978 | 5 |
You are more likely to be accepted into Harvard than you are to win Britain’s Got Talent or The Voice UK
But what does this mean for our chances when stacked against other things? With a 4.6% rate for applicants, you are more likely to be accepted into Harvard than you are to win Britain’s Got Talent or The Voice UK.
Similarly, you are also more likely to be ambidextrous, where 1 in 100 people can use both hands equally for any task than you are to win Mastermind or Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Do you think you have what it takes or is it time to phone a friend?
With a 6.25% success rate, you are more likely to win The Apprentice than a woman is to give birth on her due date, with 80% of babies being born in the 2 weeks before or after.
| Rank | Show | Category | Total Contestants/Teams | Total Winners | Estimated Chances of Winning | Contestants per Prize Pot | Prize Guarenteed for Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who Wants To Be A Millionaire | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 5,184 | 6 | 0.12% | 8 | No |
| 2 | Mastermind | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 4,890 | 45 | 0.92% | 5 | Yes |
| 3 | The Voice UK | Vs Competitors | 440 | 10 | 2.27% | 44 | Yes |
| 4 | Britian's Got Talent | Vs Competitors | 560 | 14 | 2.50% | 40 | Yes |
| 5 | The Apprentice | Vs Competitors | 240 | 15 | 6.25% | 16 | Yes |
| 6 | Love Island | Dating/Vs Competitors | 224 | 14 | 6.25% | 32 | Yes |
| 7 | Eggheads | Vs Show | 1,870 | 121 | 6.47% | / | No |
| 8 | Great British Bake Off | Vs Competitors | 132 | 11 | 8.33% | 12 | Yes |
| 9 | Come Dine With Me | Vs Competitors | 4,204 | 1.051 | 25% | 4 | Yes |
| 10 | Family Fortunes | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 1,108 | 554 | 50% | 2 | Yes |
These are the Top TV Games Shows Where You Can Win Up to £1 Million for Participating
The Cube is the top TV games show in terms of prize money for those who feel up to the challenge. The Cube contestants can win more than £1.3 million from winning or beating the show. Who Wants to be a Millionaire has the next largest prize pot with £1 million up for grabs for clever contestants. The Wheel of Fortune comes in next with £740 thousand on offer for those who can beat the show.
| Rank | Country | Show | Category | Total Contestants/Teams | Total Seasons | Total Episodes | Current Maximum Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UK | The Cube | Vs Show | 85 | 10 | 85 | £1,392,000 |
| 2 | UK | Who Wants To Be A Millionaire | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 5,184 | 36 | 648 | £1,000,000 |
| 3 | US | Wheel Of Fortune | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 21,000 | / | 7,000 | £741,844.80 |
| 4 | US | Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? | Vs Show | 118 | 7 | 118 | £720,000 |
| 5 | Australia | Who Wants To A Millionaire | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 2,432 | 17 | 304 | £530,000 |
| 6 | US | Jeopardy | Vs Competitors/Vs Show | 24,000 | 37 | 8,000 | £407,808 |
| 7 | UK | The Wall | Vs Show | 21 | 3 | 21 | £343,747.50 |
| 8 | UK | The Apprentice | Vs Competitors | 240 | 15 | 184 | £250,000 |
| 9 | UK | Britain's Got Talent | Vs Competitors | 560 | 14 | 185 | £250,000 |
| 10 | UK | Deal or No Deal | Vs Show | 3,003 | 13 | 3,003 | £250,000 |
SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY
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