How Many Lotto Draws Per Week?
A simple, precise answer for South African players: how often the main Lotto draws, exactly when, how that compares to PowerBall and Daily Lotto, and how to make sure you never miss a ticket cut-off.
1. Quick Answer: How Many Lotto Draws Per Week?
SA Lotto holds two draws every week — one on Wednesday night, and one on Saturday night. This has been the game's standard schedule, and it applies equally to the optional Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2 add-ons, which are drawn on the same two nights.
For the current confirmed jackpot and recent results, see our Lotto Results page.
2. Exact Draw Days and Times (SAST)
| Day | Main Lotto Draw? |
|---|---|
| Wednesday | Main Lotto draw — approx. 21:00 SAST |
| Saturday | Main Lotto draw — approx. 21:00 SAST |
| All other days | No main Lotto draw |
3. Ticket Sales Cut-Off Times
Ticket sales for the main Lotto typically close a little before the draw itself — generally around 20:30 SAST, roughly 30 minutes ahead of the 21:00 draw time. This gives Ithuba's systems time to finalise ticket sales data before the draw takes place.
4. Lotto Plus 1 & Plus 2 – Same Schedule
Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2 don't have their own separate draw nights — they're held on exactly the same Wednesday and Saturday nights as the main Lotto, using the same ticket sales cut-off. Each simply uses a separate draw machine and produces its own independent result.
If you add either or both Plus games to your ticket, no additional scheduling considerations apply — everything happens on the same night, back to back with the main draw.
5. Full Weekly Lottery Schedule (Lotto vs PowerBall vs Daily Lotto)
Here's how the main Lotto's schedule fits alongside South Africa's other two core National Lottery games.
| Day | Lotto | PowerBall | Daily Lotto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | — | — | Draw |
| Monday | — | — | Draw |
| Tuesday | — | Draw | Draw |
| Wednesday | Draw | — | Draw |
| Thursday | — | — | Draw |
| Friday | — | Draw | Draw |
| Saturday | Draw | — | Draw |
Between all three games, there's a National Lottery draw on every single night of the week — Daily Lotto covers every night on its own, while Lotto and PowerBall each add two more nights with their own dedicated jackpots.
6. Why Lotto Only Draws Twice a Week
The main Lotto's twice-weekly rhythm reflects its structure as a larger, pari-mutuel game: its upper prize divisions are shared based on nationwide ticket sales feeding into each draw, which benefits from a wider sales window than a daily format would allow.
- A twice-weekly schedule gives retailers and the National Lottery's systems time to process ticket sales across the full country before each draw.
- Smaller, more frequent-payout games like Daily Lotto are structured differently, with simpler fixed and lower-tier prizes suited to a daily draw.
- PowerBall follows its own separate twice-weekly schedule (Tuesday and Friday), giving South African players draws spread across four nights when both games are combined.
7. Best Time to Buy Your Ticket
- Buy earlier in the day on Wednesday or Saturday
Avoids the risk of retailer queues building up close to the 20:30 cut-off.
- Confirm your numbers before you leave the retailer
Double-check your ticket reflects the correct six numbers and any Plus 1/2 add-ons before paying.
- Use the official app if you're short on time
The National Lottery app allows ticket purchases without needing to visit a physical retailer.
8. How to Never Miss a Draw
- Remember the fixed schedule: Wednesday and Saturday, approximately 21:00 SAST, every week without exception.
- Bookmark our Lotto Results page and check back shortly after each draw night.
- Buy your ticket well before the 20:30 cut-off, especially during large rollover periods.
For the full entry process, see our How to Play Lotto guide.