Set for Life: Complete Guide
Set for Life is the only Australian lottery that pays a monthly income rather than a lump sum. The Division 1 prize of $20,000 per month for 20 years equals $4.8 million in total. With draws happening every night, it offers the highest frequency of any Australian lottery game.
How to play
- 1Pick 7 numbers from a pool of 1 to 44.
- 2The draw selects 7 winning numbers and 2 supplementary numbers from the pool.
- 3Match all 7 winning numbers to win Division 1: $20,000 per month for 20 years.
- 4Lower divisions pay set amounts or shorter monthly payment periods.
- 5Draws take place every night at approximately 9:00pm AEST, 365 days per year.
- 6Tickets available at registered retailers or thelott.com.
Prize divisions
Prize amounts for pari-mutuel divisions vary by draw. Set prizes are fixed regardless of winner count. Check thelott.com for current prize pool amounts.
| Div | Match | Odds | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 winning numbers | 1 in 38,608,020 | $20,000/month for 20 years ($4.8M total) |
| 2 | 6 winning + 1 supplementary | 1 in 3,553,200 | $5,000/month for 12 months ($60k total) |
| 3 | 6 winning numbers | 1 in 197,400 | $5,000 |
| 4 | 5 winning + 1 supplementary | 1 in 11,860 | $500 |
| 5 | 5 winning numbers | 1 in 1,700 | $100 |
| 6 | 4 winning numbers | 1 in 316 | $30 |
| 7 | 3 winning + 1 supplementary | 1 in 105 | $20 |
| 8 | 3 winning numbers | 1 in 53 | $15 |
Set for Life has the most prize divisions of any Australian lottery (8 total) and an overall odds of approximately 1 in 40 for any win. Division 1 odds of 1 in 38,608,020 are between Saturday Lotto and Oz Lotto. Because it draws every day, the expected number of Division 1 wins per year nationally is higher than weekly games.
Tips for this game
The monthly payout structure changes how you should think about winning
A $20,000 per month income for 20 years is fundamentally different from a lump sum. You cannot invest the full amount at once, but you also cannot lose it all at once. For people who want financial stability rather than a management challenge, this structure is arguably better.
Daily draws mean 365 chances per year
Set for Life draws 365 times per year. That is seven times more draws than any weekly game. If you play regularly, you have more opportunities to hit the lower divisions too. The individual ticket odds are the same, but annual exposure is much higher.
Understand the Centrelink implications before you win
The monthly $20,000 payments are assessable assets under Centrelink means testing. If you currently receive any government payment, understand what a regular $20,000 monthly receipt means for your assessment before playing seriously.
Pool size of 44 makes upper numbers very underused
With a pool of 1 to 44, numbers above 31 represent 13 of the 44 options (30 percent of the pool). Birthday-biased players avoid these numbers, making them consistently under-picked. Numbers 37 to 44 are particularly strong contrarian candidates.
Free tool
Generate Set for Life numbers
Get a daily Set for Life entry weighted towards the upper range of the 1-to-44 pool. Better odds of not sharing if you do win a division prize.
Outnumber does not improve your probability of winning any lottery. All lottery games are games of chance. Prize divisions and prize amounts shown are approximate and may change. Please gamble responsibly. Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858.