How to play Greece Powerball from South Africa
Short answer: Greece Powerball is the South African name for OPAP's Greek "Joker" lottery. The draw produces 5 numbers from 1 to 45, plus a separate Joker number from 1 to 20.
In South Africa you do not buy a real Greek ticket. You place a fixed-odds bet in rands, from as little as R1, with a licensed local bookmaker on which numbers will be drawn.
If your bet comes up, the bookmaker pays you a fixed amount at odds you saw before you staked. You are not in the official Greek draw, so you cannot win OPAP's actual jackpot. The trade-off works in your favour one way: you know your exact payout before you bet.
Plenty of South African sites tell you that you are "buying a Greece Powerball ticket" and could "win the jackpot."
That is the part almost everyone gets wrong, and it changes what you should expect. This guide explains the game properly, then walks through how betting on it from South Africa actually works.
What Greece Powerball actually is
Greece Powerball is a nickname. The real game is "Joker" (Τζόκερ in Greek), run by OPAP, the company licensed for lotteries and sports betting in Greece.
It launched on 16 November 1997 and has used the same format ever since.
Five main numbers are drawn from a pool of 1 to 45. One extra number, the Joker, is drawn from a separate pool of 1 to 20. Draws are held three times a week: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 22:00 Greek time.
You bet on it, you do not buy a ticket
This is the bit to understand before you put money down.
In South Africa you cannot buy a real OPAP ticket. Selling foreign lottery tickets here is restricted under Section 57 of the National Lotteries Act.
What licensed South African bookmakers offer instead is a fixed-odds bet on the outcome of the Greek draw. It is usually listed under "Lucky Numbers."
The difference is not just wording. Your money never goes to OPAP, and your numbers are never entered in the Greek draw.
The bookmaker simply watches OPAP's published result and settles your bet against it. If your numbers match, it pays you from its own funds, at the odds you agreed when you placed the bet. Large wins are insured, so the payout is safe even if many people hit on the same night.
Real OPAP ticket · Greece
- You buy an official entry
- You are in the official draw
- OPAP pays the prize pool
- You can win the real jackpot
- Not sold in South Africa
Fixed-odds bet · South Africa
- You bet on the result, in rands
- You are not in the official draw
- The bookmaker pays you
- Fixed, capped payout if you match
- Legal and licensed here
What you actually win
So can you win the headline jackpot you see advertised, the one that rolls up to tens of millions of euros?
No. That pool belongs to people holding real Greek tickets.
From South Africa you win a fixed payout based on how many numbers you matched and how much you staked, up to the bookmaker's maximum. The upside is that you know that number before you bet, which a real lottery never tells you.
How to place a bet, step by step
The whole process runs in rands.
- Open an account with a licensed South African bookmaker. We recommend YesPlay, our recommended sportsbook. Verifying your identity is a standard once-off step.
- Deposit in rands. You bet in rands and winnings are paid in rands, so there is no currency hassle on your side.
- Find Greece Powerball, usually under the Lucky Numbers section.
- Choose a bet type and a stake. You decide how many numbers to back, from a single number up to a four-number combination, and you can add a Joker bet. Stakes start at R1.
- Check the payout, which is shown before you confirm, then place the bet.
- After the Greek draw, the bookmaker settles automatically. If you matched, the money lands in your account, usually within the hour. There is no claim form.
What you can bet, and the minimum stake
You are not buying one fixed line. You pick a bet type, set your stake in rands, and the odds for that bet show before you confirm.
The minimum stake on YesPlay is R1, so you can start small. Each bet settles on its own, so a single number can pay even if a bigger combination misses.
| Bet type | What you are backing | Minimum stake |
|---|---|---|
| Single number | One of your numbers is drawn | R1 |
| Pair (2 numbers) | Both your numbers are drawn | R1 |
| Three or four numbers | All of them are drawn | R1 |
| Joker / bonus bets | The Joker number, or high or low on it | R1 |
The more numbers you ask to land together, the longer the odds and the larger the payout.
Those odds shift over time, so treat any multipliers you see quoted elsewhere as a guide only and read the live odds on YesPlay when you bet. One firm number to plan around: YesPlay caps a single bet's payout at R2 million.
The odds
The jackpot combination, all 5 main numbers plus the Joker, has odds of 1 in 24,435,180.
That comes straight from the maths: 1,221,759 ways to choose 5 numbers from 45, times 20 possible Joker numbers. The chance of winning at any level is about 1 in 53.
The Greek game pays across eight prize levels, set by how many main numbers you match and whether you also catch the Joker.
| Level | Match | Roughly how rare |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (jackpot) | 5 main + Joker | 1 in 24,435,180 |
| 2 | 5 main | 1 in 1,286,062 |
| 3 | 4 main + Joker | 1 in 122,176 |
| 4 | 4 main | 1 in 6,430 |
| 5 | 3 main + Joker | 1 in 3,133 |
| 6 | 2 main + Joker | 1 in 247 |
| 7 | 3 main | 1 in 165 |
| 8 | 1 main + Joker | 1 in 53 |
Those levels describe the official Greek structure. When you bet from South Africa, the bookmaker sets its own fixed payout for each match, and that payout is what you receive.
When the draw happens in South African time
This trips people up, because Greece changes its clocks and South Africa does not.
The draw is always 22:00 Greek time on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. What that means for you depends on the season.
Tax: South African rules apply, not Greek ones
Because a South African bookmaker pays you, the Greek lottery tax that applies to ticket holders in Greece does not touch you. Your situation falls under South African rules.
For most people who bet occasionally, winnings are treated as a windfall and are not taxed as income in South Africa.
If you bet as a business, systematically and for income, SARS can treat your winnings as taxable. Where you sit on that line depends on your own pattern of play, so check with a tax practitioner or SARS if you are unsure. This is general information, not advice for your specific case.
Is it legal in South Africa?
Yes, when you bet through a licensed bookmaker.
Selling foreign lottery tickets here is restricted, which is why nobody can legally sell you a real Greek entry. Betting on the result is a different activity, regulated as betting under a provincial bookmaker licence, such as one from the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. You must be 18 or older.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting the advertised euro jackpot. You bet for a capped local payout, not the official Greek pot.
- Missing the draw because of the time shift. Set a reminder for 21:00 or 22:00 depending on the season.
- Assuming "hot" or "cold" numbers improve your chances. Each draw is independent.
- Betting big without checking the payout cap, which can limit a large win.
Frequently asked questions
Can I win the real Greece Powerball jackpot from South Africa? No. From South Africa you place a fixed-odds bet with a local bookmaker, not an official Greek ticket. If your numbers match you win a set, capped payout from the bookmaker, not OPAP's official jackpot.
How do I actually play Greece Powerball in South Africa? Open an account with a licensed South African bookmaker, deposit in rands, and find Greece Powerball under the Lucky Numbers section. Choose a bet type, from a single number up to a four-number combination or a Joker bet, and stake from R1. Odds show before you confirm, and wins are paid automatically after the Greek draw.
What time is the Greece Powerball draw in South Africa? The draw is at 22:00 Greek time on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. In South African time that is 21:00 from late March to late October, and 22:00 from late October to late March.
What are the odds of winning? The jackpot combination has odds of 1 in 24,435,180. The chance of winning any prize level is about 1 in 53.
Do I pay tax on my winnings in South Africa? For most casual players, gambling winnings are treated as a windfall and not taxed as income. Greek lottery tax does not apply because a South African bookmaker pays you. Professional or systematic bettors may be taxed, so confirm your position with SARS or a tax adviser.
Is betting on Greece Powerball legal in South Africa? Yes, through a licensed bookmaker. It is regulated as fixed-odds betting, not as a lottery, and you must be 18 or older.
Sources
OPAP Joker game rules and history; official draw schedule (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday 22:00 EET). South African National Lotteries Act, on the restriction of foreign lottery ticket sales. Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, on bookmaker licensing. SARS guidance on the tax treatment of gambling winnings. Jackpot odds derived from the 5/45 plus Joker 1/20 format.