Lottery vs investing calculator
Small weekly purchases add up. Enter what you spend on tickets, for how long, and see what the same money could grow to if invested, next to what the lottery returns on average.
You would spend
$15,600
$10 a week for 30 years
Expected back from the lottery
$7,800
on average, in prizes
If invested instead
$53,149
at 7% a year, an illustration
Lottery results are very uneven: most players get back far less than the average and a tiny few get far more. The comparison shows the cost of a habit, not a forecast of what you will win.
An illustration with an assumed return. Investments carry risk and can lose value. This is not financial advice, and a small ticket budget can still be reasonable entertainment if you can afford it.
How the calculator works
- 1It adds up what you would spend on tickets over the years.
- 2It multiplies by the share of sales the lottery pays out as prizes to get the average prize return.
- 3It compounds the same weekly amount at your assumed investment return, to show what it could be worth.
Read it fairly
- The investment figure is an illustration with an assumed return, not a forecast. Markets can fall.
- The lottery figure is an average. Real results are very uneven.
- If you enjoy tickets and can afford them, entertainment is a valid reason to buy. The point is to know the cost.
Prefer a lottery you can check?
CryptoDrawz: a weekly draw with 90% paid out.
$5 tickets paid in crypto. The winners come from a public random value, and every result is published so you can recompute it yourself. 18+ only.
Frequently asked questions
Is investing better than playing the lottery?
On average, yes: lotteries return less than they cost, while investments historically return more than cash over long periods, with risk. Tickets are entertainment, not an investment.
What return should I assume?
Long-term stock market returns have averaged high single digits before inflation, but there is no guarantee. Try 3%, 5% and 7%.
Does the lottery return more than 50%?
Many large lotteries pay out roughly half of sales. CryptoDrawz pays out 90%.
Is this financial advice?
No. It is a general illustration. Speak to a financial adviser about your own plans.