client area
When we check a National Lottery ticket , the first thing we usually look at is whether it matches the first or second prize. That's normal. These are the prizes that attract the most attention and are always prominently displayed when the results are published.
But the National Lottery doesn't stop at just those main numbers. In each draw, other prizes can also appear, which often cause confusion: approximations, hundreds, last digits, and refunds.
These concepts are actually part of the secondary prizes in the National Lottery , those that can easily go unnoticed if you only look at the top prize. Therefore, if you see any of these words on a National Lottery ticket, it's a good idea to know what each one means.
If you've ever noticed that your number "almost" matches, ends the same as a prize, or has the same last digit as the refund number, this article will help you understand what each case means and why it's worth checking your lottery ticket carefully.
Before we begin: every number counts
A National Lottery ticket has a five-digit number. To win a top prize, the number must exactly match the winning number. So far, so good.
Doubt arises when other prizes related to that number come into play: the preceding and following numbers, the numbers in the same hundred, the final digits, or the last digit of the tenth.
Therefore, when checking a lottery ticket, it's not enough to just see if you have the first prize. There may be other smaller prizes depending on where the number is located or how it ends.
The amounts and number of prizes can vary depending on the draw . A regular Thursday draw is not the same as a Saturday draw, a special draw, or an extraordinary draw. If you'd like more information, you can read our article on regular, special, and extraordinary National Lottery draws . In any case, it's always advisable to check the official list for each draw.
What are approximations in the National Lottery?
Approximations are the numbers immediately before and after a main prize.
For example, if the first prize were 54.321 , its approximations would be:
- 54.320
- 54.322
In other words, you wouldn't have the exact number of the first prize, but you would have one of the numbers that are right next to it.
This type of prize is usually easy to understand because it responds to a very simple idea: to reward those who have been just one digit away from the complete number.
However, it's important not to confuse an approximation with a final number. With an approximation, the complete number and its position relative to the main prize are what matter. It's not enough for it to simply end similarly.
What are hundreds?
The hundreds prizes are awarded to numbers that belong to the same block of one hundred numbers as a main prize.
Let's use the same example. If the first prize were 54.321 , we would be talking about the hundredth digit from:
- 54.300 al 54.399
All those numbers belong to the same hundred as 54.321.
The logic here isn't about being right before or right after, as with approximations. The key is to share the same span of one hundred numbers.
Therefore, if you have a lottery ticket that starts the same way and falls within that hundred, it could be a winner if the draw includes that type of prize.
This is one of the most common questions when checking results, because the word "hundred" can sound a bit technical. In reality, it simply means that: the group of one hundred numbers in which the winning number is found.
What are endings?
The endings reward numbers that end the same as a winning number or group of numbers.
For example, if a winning ending were 321 , all tickets ending in those three digits would win a prize:
- 00.321
- 12.321
- 45.321
- 78.321
The full number doesn't match, but the final part does.
There can also be endings of two, three, or more digits, depending on the draw and the prize structure. The more digits that match, the more likely the match.
The difference with the hundreds place is important. The hundreds place looks at the block in which the number is located. The ending place looks at how it ends.
Simply put: if your lottery ticket ends the same as a winning ending, you can win a prize even if the rest of the number is different.
What are refunds?
The refund is one of the best-known prizes in the National Lottery because it allows you to recover the amount played on the ticket.
It is awarded when the last digit of your number matches one of the digits that won a refund in that draw.
For example, if one of the refunds were 7 , all numbers ending in 7 would receive a refund:
- 12.347
- 45.897
- 80.007
- 99.997
The refund isn't a big prize, but it does prevent the ticket from ending up with nothing. That's why many people, when checking a lottery draw, look directly at the last digit after checking the main prizes.
In the official results of the National Lottery you will see that the refunds are indicated next to the rest of the prizes of the draw.
Difference between approximations, hundreds, endings and refunds
Although all these awards may seem similar, they don't work the same way. Each one is calculated differently.
| Tipo de premium | What to look at | Example if the prize were 54.321 |
| Approach | The number immediately before or after | 54.320 and 54.322 |
| Hundred | The block of one hundred numbers to which the prize belongs | Del 54.300 al 54.399 |
| Termination | The latest figures of the number | Numbers ending in 321 |
| Refund | The last digit of the tenth | Numbers ending in 1, if that number were a refund |
This table helps you see it quickly, but the most important thing is to grasp the logic of each prize: sometimes the position of the number matters, sometimes the block it belongs to, and sometimes its final digits.
Can a single lottery ticket win more than one prize?
Yes, it is possible for a lottery ticket to accumulate more than one prize if it matches several categories included in the draw.
For example, a number might be within a winning hundred and also match a specific ending. In such cases, it's important to check the entire result and not just focus on an isolated match.
This is one of the reasons why it's always advisable to use a reliable checker or consult the official lottery results. If you buy your tickets from an official lottery retailer or through an authorized website, it will be easier to keep track of your purchase information and check your tickets when the results are published.
Practical example for checking a tenth
Imagine you have the number 54.322 and in the draw the first prize was 54.321.
In that case, your number doesn't exactly match the first prize, but it is the next number up. Therefore, you could win a prize as an approximation if that draw includes prizes that are close to the first prize.
Now imagine you have 54.356 . It's not right next to 54.321, but it belongs to the same hundred, because it's within the range from 54.300 to 54.399. If that hundred has a prize, you could also win a prize.
And if your number were 18.321 , it wouldn't belong to the same hundred, but it would end the same as 54.321. If there were a winning ending with those three digits, you could also win a prize.
These are three different situations, and that's why it's important to know what each word means when the results appear.
How to properly check the National Lottery results
To make sure you don't miss anything, you can follow this simple order when you have the tenth in front of you:
- First, check if your number matches the top prizes.
- Next, check if it's right before or right after any of the main awards.
- Check if it belongs to any of the award-winning hundred.
- Check the terminations.
- Check the last digit to see if you have a refund.
You can also check the information on the official website of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado or check your tickets from an authorized administration.
At El Ferial 7 you can buy your National Lottery tickets online at an official point of sale and have your purchases located to check them calmly when the draw arrives.
And when that moment arrives, check the result carefully. Sometimes a ticket doesn't have the first prize, but it might have a consolation prize, a hundred-number match, a matching last digit, or a refund.
