Thunderball Odds Calculator | Prize Tiers & Jackpot Odds
Explore every Thunderball prize tier for one line, including the chance of any prize, or calculate jackpot odds for several different lines. Choose how many draws to include and see the ticket cost.
Thunderball prize-tier and jackpot odds calculator
Choose Prize-tier odds for one line per draw, or Jackpot: multiple lines for different complete lines. Both modes calculate the chance across your chosen number of draws and the total ticket cost.
How many Thunderball combinations are possible?
Number selection
5 numbers from 1 to 39 + 1 Thunderball from 1 to 14.
Combination formula
C(39,5) × 14
Total full combinations
8,060,598
Thunderball uses 5 main numbers from 1 to 39 and 1 Thunderball from 1 to 14. The bonus part is selected separately from the Thunderball range. The total number of full top-prize combinations is 8,060,598.
Thunderball top-prize chance by unique lines
The table assumes every line is different in the same draw. Repeating a line does not cover another possible combination.
| Lines covered | Estimated ticket cost | Approximate chance | Equivalent odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 unique line | £1.00 | 0.000012406% | 1 in 8,060,598 |
| 7 unique lines | £7.00 | 0.000086842% | 1 in 1,151,514 |
| 14 unique lines | £14.00 | 0.000173684% | 1 in 575,757 |
| 21 unique lines | £21.00 | 0.000260527% | 1 in 383,838 |
How the calculation works
For one unique line, the chance is:
1 ÷ 8,060,598 × 100
For several unique lines, the chance is:
number of unique lines ÷ 8,060,598 × 100
Example: with 7 unique Thunderball lines, the top-prize chance is 7 ÷ 8,060,598 × 100 = 0.000086842%.
Why unique Thunderball lines matter
If several Thunderball players use favourite numbers, repeats can happen quickly. Checking the shared board first helps the group cover different full combinations.
Lottery-Checker cannot improve the official odds of any individual line. The practical benefit is organisation: if a line is already marked as used here, another player can choose a different line and cover a different combination instead of repeating the same one.
Check Thunderball results and plan new lines
The Thunderball results checker compares lines associated with this browser, or 1-7 lines you send for a one-off check that is not retained, with the latest published draw. After checking the result, use the shared board to plan new 5-number + Thunderball combinations and avoid lines already marked here.
Related pages
Continue with the Thunderball checker, compare other games, or read how repeated lines affect useful coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Are these the chances of winning any prize?
Yes. Select Prize-tier odds, then choose Any prize for one line per draw. You can also select an individual prize tier. The separate jackpot mode and unique-line examples cover only the full top-prize match.
What do exactly and at least once mean?
An exact match outcome fixes the number of main matches and the stated special-ball condition in one round. For example, exactly 3 main matches does not include 4 or 5 main matches.
At least once across 10 draws means that the selected exact outcome occurs one or more times during those draws. It does not include outcomes with more matching numbers. The calculator does not calculate a separate chance of matching at least a chosen number of balls.
Any prize combines all paying match outcomes instead of selecting one exact outcome.
Why are lower-prize odds limited to one line per draw?
The chance of any prize across several lines depends on which numbers those lines share. A line count alone cannot determine that probability. The calculator therefore uses one line per draw for prize tiers and any-prize odds, and allows multiple different lines only for jackpot odds.
Does avoiding duplicate lines improve my odds?
It does not improve the odds of one individual line. It can help a group avoid repeating the same planned combination and cover more unique combinations.
Does marking a line buy a ticket?
No. Marking a line on Lottery-Checker is only a planning action. It does not buy a ticket or enter anyone into a draw.
Thunderball rules and a checking example
Choose 5 different main numbers from 1-39, plus 1 Thunderball from 1-14. Main-number order does not matter. The Thunderball is drawn from a separate pool and can have the same value as a main number. Always check its labelled field. The top-prize calculation needs all five main numbers and the Thunderball.
Illustrative numbers, not an actual draw: Suppose the example result is 2, 11, 20, 29, 38 with Thunderball 8, and your line is 2, 11, 20, 29, 37 with Thunderball 8. The comparison is 4 main matches plus the Thunderball. A main-number match with 8 cannot replace a missing Thunderball match.
Use the Thunderball checker for the latest comparison, or open the Thunderball results archive and select the date on your ticket. Compare each line separately.
Prize-tier probabilities for one line
For one line, the chance of exactly m main matches is C(k, m) × C(n - k, k - m) ÷ C(n, k), where n is the main-ball pool size and k is the number of main balls selected. Multiply by the independent special-ball match probability where applicable. Any-prize odds add the mutually exclusive winning match outcomes within one round.
The chance of any prize across several lines depends on which numbers those lines share. A line count alone cannot determine that probability. The calculator therefore uses one line per draw for prize tiers and any-prize odds, and allows multiple different lines only for jackpot odds.
Jackpot formulas and assumptions
C(n, k) = n! / (k! × (n - k)!)
N = C(39, 5) × 14 = 8,060,598
P(top-prize match in one draw) = u / N
Here n is the pool size, k is the number selected, and u is the number of distinct complete lines for one draw, from 0 to N. C(n, k) counts unordered selections without replacement. Multiplication assumes independent main and special-ball pools, with every valid outcome equally likely. Multiply a probability by 100 to obtain a percentage.
Across d independent draws with the same number u of different lines each time, the chance of at least one top-prize match is 1 - (1 - u/N)d. Repeating a line within one draw does not increase u.
For a selected prize tier or any-prize outcome with probability p in one draw, the chance of that outcome at least once across d independent draws is 1 - (1 - p)d. Prize-tier mode uses one line in every draw. Ticket cost is the price per line multiplied by lines per draw and number of draws.
Probabilities are calculated from the game structure, with displayed odds rounded. Prize labels describe the relevant match tier, not expected profit. Raffles, optional extras, jackpot sharing, tax and the present value of annuity payments are outside these calculations. Past results and marks on the shared board do not change the odds.
Prize-tier source: official Thunderball game procedures. Standard prize amounts can be affected by the limits and special-draw provisions in those rules. Rule sources: The National Lottery game summaries. Calculation approach: our probability methodology.