What is a pool?
A pool is an open pot for a specific draw. Contribute any number of entries, and if any of them win, you keep half and share the rest with everyone in the pool.
How a pool works
All participants in a pool contribute entries for the same draw. Each player keeps 50% of any prize their own entries win, and the other 50% goes into a shared fund. That fund is then redistributed to all pool participants in proportion to how many entries each one contributed.
This means even if your own entries don't win, you still benefit if someone else in the pool does.
- 1The pool has 100 entries in total and wins €1,000 in prizes.
- 2Juan contributed 1 entry, which won €10. He keeps €5 and puts €5 into the shared fund.
- 3The shared fund totals €1,000. Juan's share of the fund is 1/100 = €10.
- 4Juan's total: €5 (his own prize) + €10 (from the fund) = €15.
Is a pool right for me?
It depends on what you're looking for. If you want more chances of winning something, even if it means sharing a big prize, a pool is a great option. You have far more chances of getting a share of a jackpot than playing alone.
If you'd rather go for the full prize on your own and accept lower chances, individual tickets may suit you better.
There's no right or wrong answer. Many players do both: play individual tickets for their lucky numbers and join a pool for the big jackpot draws.
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