Thinking about entering a big prize draw but not sure whether to go for Omaze or stick with the traditional lottery? You’re not alone. With more people in the UK seeing adverts for these options, it’s become much more common to wonder what actually separates them.
Omaze has made headlines with luxury house draws and charity links, while the National Lottery is well known for its jackpots and familiar scratchcards. But beneath the surface, they work in quite different ways, especially when it comes to how you buy entries, where the money goes, and your chances of winning.
Below, you’ll find a clear comparison of Omaze and the lottery. You’ll see how each one is set up, what the odds look like, and other key details that aren’t always obvious from the adverts.
What Is Omaze And How Do Its Prize Draws Work?
Omaze is an online platform that holds prize draws for high-value items, such as houses, cars, and cash. To take part, you buy entries on the Omaze website. The most well-known draws feature luxury homes, but you’ll also see prizes like cars or large sums of money. With each purchase, a portion of the money supports a named charity, although not the entire entry fee goes to good causes, because a share is kept by Omaze to cover costs and make a profit.
Once you have bought entries, each one is given a unique number. After the draw closes, a winning number is selected at random using an independent process. The winner receives the prize, and the results are typically published online. You do not have to buy anything to enter, because a free postal entry route is also available. However, most people enter online for convenience.
Omaze prize draws have fixed start and end dates, and you can only enter while the draw is live. Each draw is separate, so entries do not carry over. With that in mind, how does this compare with a traditional lottery?
How Does A Traditional Lottery Work?
The National Lottery is the best-known example of a traditional lottery in the UK. You take part by selecting a set of numbers and paying for your ticket, either online or in a shop. When the draw takes place, a machine randomly selects a certain number of balls from a pool. If your ticket matches enough of the drawn numbers, you win a prize. The top jackpot goes to anyone who matches all the main numbers, while smaller prizes are paid to players who match fewer.
Each ticket covers only the specific draw you enter, so if you want to play again, you buy a new one. The lottery runs several games with different rules, price points, and prize tables, and a portion of ticket revenue is allocated to arts, sports, and community projects.
These draws are regulated and independently checked to make sure the process is fair and properly monitored. There are also scratch cards and instant win games, which work differently; they have a fixed set of prizes and results can be seen straight away after purchasing.
Prize Structure And Typical Payouts
When it comes to prize draws, the prizes and payouts can be quite different between Omaze and the National Lottery.
For Omaze, the main draw nearly always features a single headline prize, most often a house, car, or a large cash amount. There are sometimes runner-up rewards, such as additional cash or smaller items. The value of the top prize is fixed and clearly listed at the start of each draw. You only receive the prize for the entry that is drawn, and the main prize is not shared between multiple participants.
The National Lottery offers several games, with Lotto being the most familiar. Prizes are split into tiers based on how many numbers you match. At the top end, matching all numbers brings the jackpot, which can reach millions of pounds, although it may be split if several people win in the same draw. Lower tiers pay smaller fixed amounts. In some games, matching a smaller set of numbers can result in a free entry to a future draw.
For both Omaze and lotteries, the number of people who get a payout and the size of each prize depends on the structure of that particular draw. In practice, lottery draws tend to create many smaller winners alongside any jackpot winners, while Omaze usually awards one major prize per draw.
Odds And Chances For Omaze Versus Lotteries
The chances of winning with Omaze and the National Lottery differ because of how each draw is set up.
With Omaze draws, the odds are based on how many entries are sold for a specific prize. If there are 1 million valid entries and you have one, your odds of winning the top prize would be one in a million. Omaze usually publishes the total number of entries for each house draw after it closes, so the real odds are only known at the end. The number of entries can vary a lot from one draw to another.
The National Lottery uses fixed game rules. For Lotto, you pick six numbers from 59. The odds of matching all six numbers and winning the jackpot are around 1 in 45 million. Lower-tier prizes are more common because you only need to match some of the drawn numbers rather than all of them. Omaze prizes are usually winner takes all, whereas lottery jackpots can be shared if more than one ticket hits the top tier.
Knowing how odds are set is useful, but it also helps to understand how winners are chosen and confirmed.
How Are Winners Selected And Verified?
For National Lottery draws, numbers are selected at random using automated machines. The draw process is closely supervised and independently audited to ensure the results are fair and free from interference. If you have a winning ticket, small prizes are usually paid in-store or to your online account, while larger wins require you to contact the operator directly and complete a formal claim, including identity checks.
Omaze assigns a unique code to every valid entry. When the draw closes, a computerised random number generator selects the winner. The process is overseen by an independent party to confirm it is run correctly. The person holding the winning entry is contacted using the details provided when entering, and major prizes such as houses are transferred only after identity and eligibility checks.
Both types of draws publish winners on their official websites. Privacy rules apply, so not every detail is made public, but verification takes place before any announcement.
Entry Costs, Service Fees And Tax Implications
The price to enter an Omaze prize draw commonly starts at around £10 for several entries, with bundles available at higher prices. There is also a free postal entry option. Part of each paid entry supports the named charity, and a share is kept by Omaze to run the promotion and generate profit.
For the National Lottery, a standard Lotto ticket costs £2 per line. Other games, like EuroMillions or Thunderball, have their own fixed prices. There are no add-on service charges; what you pay at the till or online is the true entry cost. Ticket revenue is divided between prize money, good causes, and operational costs.
Winnings from any legal lottery or prize draw in the UK are not subject to income tax. Whether you win an Omaze house, a cash prize, or a lottery jackpot, you will not pay income tax on the winnings themselves. If you later sell a property or other asset you have won, any profit may be liable for Capital Gains Tax. If you are unsure, it can be worth getting advice from a tax professional.
All of which raises the obvious question: which option suits you best?
Should You Buy An Omaze Entry Or A Lottery Ticket?
Deciding between an Omaze entry and a lottery ticket comes down to what matters most to you. Some people are drawn to the idea of a specific high-value prize such as a house or car, while others prefer the straightforward cash jackpots that traditional lotteries advertise.
It helps to think about how each draw operates. With Omaze, there is usually a single headline prize and the odds depend entirely on how many entries are sold. If supporting a named charity as part of your entry appeals, that is part of the package.
National Lottery tickets come with fixed game rules and several prize tiers, so more than one person can get a payout in the same draw. If you prefer a lower entry price and the chance of smaller, more frequent prizes, the lottery may feel more familiar.
Both options operate under regulated conditions in the UK and use independently checked processes. The right choice depends on the type of prize you like and how you want to take part. If you want more detail before you decide, explore our guides and comparisons for a closer look at specific draws and games. If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, confidential support is available at BeGambleAware.org.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.