The Complete Foreigner’s Guide to Korea’s Lotto 6/45 (2026 Updated)
Everything you need to know about buying, winning, and claiming Korea’s most popular lottery — whether you’re a tourist, expat, or migrant worker.
What Is Korea Lotto 6/45?
South Korea’s national lottery is officially called Lotto 6/45, operated by Donghaeng Bokgwon (동행복권) under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The concept is straightforward: you pick 6 numbers from 1 to 45, and if all six match the weekly draw, you win the jackpot. A single game costs just ₩1,000 (approximately $0.75 USD), and you can play up to five lines per ticket slip.
Lotto 6/45 launched on December 2, 2002, and quickly became one of the most culturally significant events in Korean weekly life. The draw takes place every Saturday at 8:35 PM, broadcast live on MBC television. In 2024, total lottery sales across South Korea surpassed 6 trillion Korean won (approximately $4.16 billion USD), setting an all-time record — a testament to just how deeply woven Lotto has become into Korean culture.
Can Foreigners Buy and Win Lotto in Korea?
Yes — absolutely. This is one of the most common questions foreigners ask, and the answer is unambiguous. Whether you are a tourist on a short-term visa, a migrant worker on an E-series visa, or a long-term expat on an F-series visa, you can legally purchase a Lotto ticket at any official retail outlet across the country. There are no nationality restrictions on purchasing or winning.
The proof of this is very real: in January 2025, two Thai brothers working in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, won the top Lotto jackpot of ₩4.06 billion won (approximately $2.8 million USD), splitting the prize and taking home around ₩2.7 billion after taxes. Their story made international headlines and confirmed that foreigners are fully eligible to participate — and win.
The only hard requirement is that the ticket must be purchased physically within South Korea. There is no such thing as a valid Korean Lotto ticket bought remotely from abroad.
How to Buy a Lotto Ticket in Korea
Option 1 — Offline at a Retail Store (Recommended for Tourists)
This is by far the easiest method for foreigners, especially tourists who may not have a Korean bank account or mobile number. You simply walk into any convenience store, newsstand, or dedicated lottery shop displaying the Donghaeng Bokgwon sign and buy a ticket. No ID, no membership, no Korean language skills required — just cash or card.
To order, you can simply hand the cashier some bills and say: “Lotto daseos-jul juseyo” (로또 다섯 줄 주세요), which means “Five lines of Lotto, please.” The machine will auto-generate random numbers for you. Alternatively, you can fill out an OMR selection card manually if you prefer choosing your own numbers.
There are roughly 7,000+ authorised retail points nationwide, including CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, and dedicated lottery booths. You can find your nearest outlet through the map on the Donghaeng Bokgwon website. The purchase limit at a physical retail store is ₩100,000 (100 games) per day.
Sales hours are as follows:
- Monday – Friday: 6:00 AM – Midnight
- Saturday (draw day): 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM (cut-off before the draw)
Option 2 — Online via Donghaeng Bokgwon Website (PC)
The official website www.dhlottery.co.kr allows registered members to buy tickets online via PC. However, this option is effectively unavailable to most tourists, as registration requires a Korean mobile phone number (for SMS authentication) and a Korean bank account or payment card. Long-term residents with an Alien Registration Card (ARC) and a Korean phone number can register using their alien registration number.
Option 3 — Mobile App (New in 2026)
Starting February 9, 2026, South Korea launched mobile Lotto purchases through the Donghaeng Bokgwon mobile website — the first time in the lottery’s 24-year history that smartphone purchases were allowed. This was a landmark policy change aimed at engaging younger generations. However, the mobile option is limited to ₩5,000 per draw (5 games), and is only available on weekdays (Monday–Friday). Mobile purchases are currently not available on weekends. PC purchases remain available up to the daily online limit, with a total online cap of 5% of the prior year’s total lottery sales volume. As with PC online purchases, foreigners would need a Korean account to access this service.
How the Numbers Work: Prizes and Odds
Korea’s Lotto 6/45 draws 6 winning numbers plus 1 bonus number from balls numbered 1 to 45. The total number of possible combinations is:
The prize structure is as follows:
| Prize Rank | Matching Condition | Odds | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | All 6 numbers | 1 in 8,145,060 | 75% of jackpot pool, shared equally |
| 2nd | 5 numbers + bonus | 1 in 1,357,510 | 12.5% of jackpot pool, shared |
| 3rd | 5 numbers | 1 in 35,724 | 12.5% of jackpot pool, shared |
| 4th | 4 numbers | 1 in 733 | Fixed ₩50,000 (~$37 USD) |
| 5th | 3 numbers | 1 in 45 | Fixed ₩5,000 (~$3.70 USD) |
The 1st-prize jackpot is not fixed — it accumulates from week to week if no one wins, and is divided equally among all 1st-prize winners in a given draw. A typical jackpot sits between ₩1.5 billion and ₩3 billion, but can climb much higher during roll-over streaks. The all-time largest jackpot in Korean Lotto history was ₩40.7 billion won won by a single ticket holder.
To put the odds in perspective: your chance of winning 1st prize is roughly 8 times lower than being struck by lightning. If you bought one ticket every week, you would statistically wait about 156,000 years for a jackpot win. On the other hand, the chance of winning any prize (5th place or better) is roughly 1 in 42 — meaning approximately one in every 42 tickets gets at least ₩5,000 back.
The expected value of a ₩1,000 ticket is approximately:
Expected Value=₩1,000×50%=₩500
In other words, on average, you get back 50 cents for every dollar spent — a reminder that Lotto is entertainment, not investment.
Age Restrictions
Under the Lottery and Lottery Fund Act, you must be 19 years old or older (Korean age system = international age + 1, but legal age is based on the calendar year you turn 19) to purchase lottery tickets. Online purchases are automatically blocked for underage users. Retail store clerks are legally prohibited from selling to minors, and any prize won by a minor may not be paid out.
Taxes on Winnings for Foreigners
This is where things get a bit more complex depending on your residency status, so pay attention.
For Korean tax residents (including long-term foreign residents), the withholding tax rates are:
- Prizes up to ₩2,000,000: Tax-exempt
- Prizes above ₩2,000,000: 22% (20% income tax + 2% local income tax)
- Prizes above ₩300,000,000 (₩300 million): 33% (30% income tax + 3% local income tax)
For non-resident foreigners (e.g., tourists), the tax rate is determined by the tax treaty between South Korea and your home country. If no treaty applies, a flat withholding tax is generally applied. Taxes are deducted automatically before you receive any payout, so you don’t need to file separately in Korea for lottery income.
Important for international winners: Depending on your home country’s tax laws, you may also be required to declare and pay taxes on foreign lottery winnings at home. It is strongly advisable to consult a tax professional if you win a significant amount.
How to Claim Your Prize
The process differs by prize level:
- 5th place (₩5,000) and 4th place (₩50,000): Claim directly at any authorized Lotto retail store within 1 year.
- 3rd and 2nd place: Visit any NH NongHyup Bank branch nationwide with your winning ticket and valid passport (or Alien Registration Card).
- 1st place: You must visit the NH NongHyup Bank Head Office in Seoul with your winning ticket and a valid passport.
The claim window is 1 year from the draw date. If you fail to claim within one year, the unclaimed prize is forfeited to the public lottery fund. Every year, hundreds of billions of won in prizes go unclaimed — so don’t let yours be among them.
Why Does Korea’s Lotto Produce Winners Every Single Week?
In the early days of Lotto (2002–2005), jackpots frequently rolled over for weeks without a winner. Today, there are almost always multiple 1st-prize winners every draw. The reason is simple mathematics combined with massive sales volume.
Currently, approximately 100 million games are sold each week. Since there are only 8,145,060 possible combinations, the lottery now sells far more tickets than there are unique combinations, making it statistically near-certain that at least one ticket will match the winning numbers:
Expected 1st Prize Winners=8,145,060100,000,000≈12.3 winners per draw
This also explains why, when popular number patterns (birthdays, repeating digits, consecutive sequences) happen to be drawn, dozens of people can win simultaneously. In July 2024, Draw #1128 produced a record-breaking 63 first-prize winners in a single week — not due to any manipulation, but purely because millions of people had chosen the same popular numbers.
The Truth About “Lucky” Lotto Stores
If you’ve spent any time in Korea, you’ve probably seen long queues outside certain lottery booths advertising themselves as “명당” (myeongdang) — auspicious or lucky spots. The reality, however, is purely statistical: there is no such thing as a mathematically lucky store.
Because the draw is completely independent of where the ticket was sold, every ticket has an identical 1-in-8,145,060 chance of winning, regardless of the retailer. Stores that have produced multiple 1st-prize winners are simply stores with very high sales volume — typically located in high-traffic areas like Gangnam, Myeongdong, or major transportation hubs. More tickets sold means more chances for winners, which reinforces the store’s reputation, which draws more customers, which sells more tickets. It becomes a self-fulfilling cycle rooted in confirmation bias, not luck.
According to data from Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, of more than 7,000 authorized retailers nationwide, fewer than 8 stores have produced 3 or more 1st-prize winners. If you’re a tourist, buying from a famous “lucky store” gives you exactly the same odds as buying from the convenience store around the corner — but it does make for a good travel story.
Frequently Asked Questions for Foreigners
Q: I’m a tourist with only a short-term visa. Can I really buy a ticket?
Yes. Short-term tourists can buy Lotto tickets at any physical retail store with no restrictions. No ID is required for purchase. Just bring cash or a credit card.
Q: What if I win while I’m still in Korea on a tourist visa?
For prizes of ₩50,000 (4th place) and ₩5,000 (5th place), you can collect your winnings immediately at any Lotto store. For larger prizes, you’ll need to visit an NH NongHyup Bank branch or head office with your passport. As long as you are within Korea during your visa validity period and within the 1-year claim window, you can claim your prize.
Q: What if I leave Korea before claiming my prize?
You may return to Korea specifically to claim it, as long as you do so within one year of the draw. However, you’ll need to re-enter the country with a valid visa to do so. Plan ahead if you’re a large-prize winner.
Q: Can I buy a Lotto ticket online as a foreigner?
It’s difficult but possible if you are a long-term foreign resident with an Alien Registration Card, a Korean mobile phone number, and a Korean bank account. Online registration for Donghaeng Bokgwon requires all three. Pure tourists will find this effectively impossible and should stick to retail store purchases.
Q: Is “auto-pick” better than choosing my own numbers?
Statistically, both methods carry the same 1-in-8,145,060 odds. However, auto-picked (randomly generated) numbers tend to avoid popular number clusters — like birthdates below 31, lucky numbers, and repeating patterns — which many people gravitate toward. If an auto-picked set happens to win, you’re less likely to share the jackpot with many others, potentially meaning a higher individual payout. But mathematically, the odds of winning at all are identical.
Q: Are there any numbers I should avoid?
Statistically, no number is “better” or “worse” — all 45 numbers have an equal probability of being drawn. The so-called “hot” or “cold” numbers displayed on Lotto websites are purely historical frequency data and have no predictive power. Believing past draws influence future results is a classic example of what mathematicians call the Gambler’s Fallacy.
Q: Can I buy tickets as a group with friends?
Yes — group purchases are a popular way to buy more tickets and increase collective coverage of number combinations. However, if you win, the prize is split according to your prior agreement. Make sure everyone in the group has a written agreement before purchasing, as disputes over shared lottery winnings can become very messy very quickly. This applies double for large sums.
Q: Where can I check the results?
Results are announced live on MBC TV every Saturday at 8:35 PM. You can also check official results at the Donghaeng Bokgwon website (dhlottery.co.kr) or via their ARS line at 1588-6450. Results are published immediately after the live draw.
Q: How is fairness guaranteed?
The draw uses government-certified lottery ball machines and is conducted on live television with representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, certified public accountants, and citizen observers present in the studio. The process is fully transparent and publicly auditable.
Pros and Cons of Playing Korea’s Lotto as a Foreigner
✅ Reasons to try it (just once):
For many foreigners living in or visiting Korea, buying a single Lotto ticket is a fun, culturally immersive experience that costs less than a cup of coffee. The thrill of participating in a national tradition, however brief, can be a memorable part of your Korean experience. The public fund contribution angle is also genuine — roughly 42% of all sales revenue goes directly toward social welfare programs, including housing support for low-income families, support for people with disabilities, and cultural heritage preservation.
❌ Important cautions:
The expected return is 50 cents per dollar spent. Lotto is designed as entertainment, not a financial strategy — and that’s especially true for migrant workers who may be tempted to spend a disproportionate share of their earnings chasing unlikely returns. If you find yourself buying multiple tickets every week while cutting corners on necessities, that’s a warning sign worth taking seriously. If you’re concerned about problem gambling, the Korea Center on Gambling Problems operates a free counseling helpline at 1336 (Korean and some multilingual support available).
Quick Reference Card for Foreigners
- Cost per game: ₩1,000 (~$0.75 USD)
- Draw day/time: Every Saturday at 8:35 PM KST
- Live broadcast: MBC Television
- Results check: dhlottery.co.kr or ARS 1588-6450
- Jackpot odds: 1 in 8,145,060
- Claim deadline: Within 1 year of the draw
- Where to claim large prizes: NH NongHyup Bank (bring passport)
- Minimum age: 19 years old
- Foreigners eligible: Yes, including tourists
- Daily retail purchase limit: ₩100,000 (100 games)
Sources
- Donghaeng Bokgwon Official Website – dhlottery.co.kr
- Korea Times – Lotto tickets on sale via mobile for 1st time (Feb. 9, 2026)
- Korea JoongAng Daily – It’s a gamble: Korea to introduce mobile lottery ticket purchases (Feb. 6, 2026)
- Korea Herald – Thai brothers win Korean Lotto jackpot (Jan. 23, 2025)
- JoongAng Daily – Record lottery sales in Korea approach 6 trillion won in 2024 (Jan. 30, 2025)
- NamuWiki EN – Lotto 6/45 (Updated Apr. 2, 2026)
- Lottomastery – Tax Implications of Lotto Winnings in South Korea (Oct. 27, 2024)
- Uncle’s Note – How foreigners buy Lotto 6/45 tickets in Korea (Jan. 9, 2024)
- National Law Information Center – Lottery and Lottery Fund Act: law.go.kr
