There’s a massive added incentive to play the record-matching €190 million Euromillions draw tonight

In case you needed another reason to stake your claim for the biggest possible Euromillions jackpot.

We hate to burst your bubble, but the vast majority of you reading this are not going to win Friday’s Euromillions jackpot, which has never and can never go higher than the €190 million on offer tonight. Sorry to be the bearers of bad news. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic, however. 18 million of them, in fact. Because the jackpot has been capped at €190 million, the National Lottery has confirmed that there will be a massive increase in lower-tier prizes, to the tune of an estimated €18 million. Under the Euromillions community rules, a jackpot is capped at €190m and any excess will flow down to the next prize tier at which there are winners. The jackpot can remain capped at €190 million for up to four draws. On the fifth draw at the capped amount, if the €190 million jackpot is still not won, the full value of the jackpot will flow down to the next tier with a prize winner. That's a few draws away yet, but with €18 million spared specifically for tonight's draw, if you don’t win the jackpot but are lucky enough to claim a smaller prize, it will be a lot more substantial than usual. “The excitement around tonight’s Euromillions is unprecedented,” National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin, said. “The jackpot is capped at €190 million for the second time this week. We have done the numbers and this means excess will flow down with the real possibility that tonight’s draw could create more multi-millionaires at lower prize tiers. “This €190 million draw is really capturing the imaginations of our players,” Griffin added. “It is an incredible amount to win, immediately making the winner one of the richest people in the country. “Winning this amount of money can be daunting and if somebody is lucky enough to score big, we will be ready to support them in any way we can. It is three years since the jackpot was at €190 million and this top prize has only been won twice ever - in Portugal in October 2014 and in the UK in August 2012. So an Irish win will be truly historic.” Due to the predicted strong interest in tonight’s draw, the National Lottery is advising players to avoid queues and buy their tickets early in-store, online on the National Lottery website or through the National Lottery app. Top 4 Euromillions Jackpots to date  €190M: Won in Portugal in October 2014 €190M: Won in the UK in August 2012 €187M: Shared by players in Ireland and Belgium in June 2013 (Winning Irish ticket sold in Beaumont, Dublin 9) €185M: Won in UK in July 2011