Singer Osher Biton wins NIS 40 million in Mifal Hapayis Lotto draw | The Jerusalem Post

One lucky man won NIS 40 million in the latest Mifal Hapayis Lotto draw on Saturday night, ending 16 consecutive draws in which no one claimed the first prize. 

Singer Osher Biton shared his winning lottery ticket on Instagram with the caption “I guess I’m a millionaire now?”

NIS 40 million is the legal maximum in the regular Lotto draw, with the Double Lotto standing at NIS 80 million, making it one of the largest prize pools available in Israel. 

Biton secured the NIS 40 million prize by correctly guessing six numbers and the strong number. A second participant won NIS 375,000 after correctly matching six numbers without the strong number.

Another 79 participants won NIS 6,748 each after matching five numbers and the strong number, while 352 people who matched five numbers won NIS 964 each.

The prize accumulation has been unusually rapid. On May 18, the first prize stood at NIS 30 million, or NIS 60 million in Double Lotto.

The last time similar sums were recorded in Israel was in December 2024, when the jackpot remained at the maximum level for eight consecutive draws.

That run ended in mid-January 2025, when a winner claimed NIS 40 million in the regular Lotto draw.

Tuesday’s draw will determine whether the Double Lotto jackpot run ends with a new millionaire or continues at the maximum level.

The odds of correctly matching six numbers and the strong number are 1 in 16,273,488 for a single table. Major lottery winnings in Israel are subject to a 35% tax, with an additional 5% surtax, bringing the total tax burden to 40%.