Australian Home Lotteries - Complete Comparison Guide 2026
Everything you need to know about Australia's biggest prize home lotteries, from ticket prices and odds to expected values and tax implications. Make informed decisions about where to invest your lottery dollars.
Operators Compared
6+
Typical Prize Value
$2.8M - $14M+
Annual Draws
30+
The Australian Home Lottery Landscape
Australian home lotteries represent one of the most popular forms of charitable gaming in the country, generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually for worthy causes while giving everyday Australians the chance to win multi-million dollar prize homes.
Unlike traditional lotteries that offer cash prizes, home lotteries provide the opportunity to win fully furnished luxury properties worth anywhere from $2.8 million to over $14 million. These aren't just houses—they're dream homes in premium locations, often featuring resort-style amenities, designer furnishings, and sometimes even luxury cars thrown in.
The Australian home lottery market is dominated by three major operators: Mater Home Lottery, RSL Art Union, and Yourtown (formerly Boystown). Together, these organisations run approximately 20 major prize home draws each year, with dozens of additional regional and specialty draws from smaller operators.
Key insight: Australian home lotteries are legally classified as "trade promotion lotteries" and are tightly regulated by state gaming authorities. All operators must donate a minimum percentage of ticket sales to registered charities, making your ticket purchase a charitable donation as much as a chance to win.
Browse all current prize home draws available right now, or continue reading to understand which lottery operator offers the best value for your investment.
The Big 3: Head-to-Head Comparison
When comparing Australian home lotteries, three operators consistently dominate the market. Here's how Mater Home Lottery, RSL Art Union, and Yourtown stack up against each other across the metrics that matter most to ticket buyers.
Complete Comparison Table
| Feature | Mater Home Lottery | RSL Art Union | Yourtown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical Prize Value | $3.6M - $7M | $6M - $14M | $2.8M - $3.3M |
| Ticket Price (from) | $2 | $5 ($2 VIP bulk) | $15 |
| Draw Frequency | ~6 per year | 7-8 per year | 4-6 per year |
| Charity Cause | Health & hospitals | Veterans & defence families | Youth & disadvantaged children |
| States Eligible | All states | All states | All states |
| Cash Alternative | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Early Bird Draws | Yes (multiple) | Yes (extensive) | Yes |
| Bonus Prizes | Gold bullion, cars | Cars, boats, cash | Cars, holidays, cash |
| Typical Odds (1st Prize) | 1 in 6M - 21M | 1 in 5M - 8M | 1 in 500,000 |
| Primary Market | Queensland, Northern NSW | QLD, NSW, VIC, WA | Queensland, NSW |
Tip: Prize values and odds vary significantly between individual draws. Always check the specific terms and conditions for each lottery you enter. The figures above represent typical ranges based on recent draws.
Mater Home Lottery: The Healthcare Champion
Operating since 1980, the Mater Home Lottery is one of Australia's longest-running and most trusted prize home operators. Every ticket supports Mater Foundation, which funds critical medical research, patient care, and hospital facilities across Queensland.
Prize Value
PREMIUM$3.6M - $7M
Recent Draw Examples:
Draw 322: $7.07M package
Draw 320: $5.03M Bonogin estate
Draw 317: $3.62M Bribie Island + gold
Ticket Price
BEST VALUEFrom $2
Package Options:
1 ticket: $2
5 tickets: $10
10 tickets: $20
What Makes Mater Stand Out
Lowest Entry Point
At just $2 per ticket, Mater offers the most affordable entry into Australian home lotteries. No other major prize home lottery comes close on price.
Extensive Early Bird Programme
Mater typically offers 10-15 early bird draws per lottery, giving you multiple chances to win before the main draw. Prizes include cars, gold, and cash.
Gold Bullion Prizes
Unique to Mater, many draws include gold bullion as secondary prizes—an inflation-hedged prize that holds intrinsic value.
Queensland Focus
Most prize homes are located in premium Queensland locations—Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Brisbane—though winners nationwide are eligible.
Read our comprehensive Mater Prize Home Lottery Guide for detailed analysis of draw schedules, prize structures, and winning strategies.
RSL Art Union: Premium Prizes for a Worthy Cause
RSL Art Union consistently offers the highest-value prize homes in Australia, with packages regularly exceeding $6 million and recent draws reaching $13.9 million. Established to support returned service personnel and their families, RSL Art Union has raised over $250 million for veterans' welfare since inception.
Prize Value
HIGHEST$6M - $14M
Recent Draw Examples:
Draw 430: $13.9M Noosa + $250K gold
Draw 427: $13.8M package
Draw 423: $6.2M Sunshine Coast
Ticket Price
VIP BULK VALUEFrom $5
VIP Club Options:
1 ticket: $5
10 tickets: $30 ($3/ea)
50 tickets: $100 ($2/ea)
Why Choose RSL Art Union
Highest Prize Values
RSL consistently offers the most valuable prize homes in Australia, often featuring architecturally significant properties in coveted coastal locations with ocean views.
Luxury Vehicle Inclusions
Many RSL draws include premium vehicles as part of the first prize package—think Mercedes-Benz, BMW, or luxury SUVs worth $100,000+.
Strong Charitable Impact
Supporting RSL means directly helping veterans, their families, and current defence personnel through welfare programmes, mental health support, and advocacy.
Geographic Diversity
RSL offers prize homes across multiple states, including premium locations in Queensland, NSW, and occasionally Victoria or Western Australia.
Important: RSL's VIP Club offers excellent bulk discounts—subscribing at $100/month gets you 50 tickets at just $2 each (60% off). Consider whether you prefer spreading tickets across multiple operators or concentrating on one for better bulk pricing.
Explore our detailed RSL Art Union Prize Home Guide for insider tips on early bird strategies and prize selection.
Yourtown Prize Homes: Supporting Youth in Need
Formerly known as Boystown, Yourtown has been running prize home lotteries since 1992 to support disadvantaged young people across Australia. Every ticket helps fund crisis accommodation, counselling services, and youth programmes including the Kids Helpline.
Prize Value
MID-TIER$2.8M - $3.3M
Recent Draw Examples:
Draw 554: $2.8M Sunshine Coast apartment
Draw 553: $3.3M home or gold
Draw 551: $3.19M Mermaid Waters
Ticket Price
PREMIUMFrom $15
Package Options:
1 ticket: $15
5 tickets: $60
10 tickets: $100
Yourtown's Unique Advantages
Better Odds
With only 500,000 tickets available per draw compared to millions for Mater and RSL, Yourtown offers dramatically better statistical odds of winning—around 1 in 500,000 for the first prize.
Family-Friendly Properties
Yourtown prize homes are often designed with families in mind—spacious layouts, child-friendly neighbourhoods, and practical features alongside luxury.
Direct Youth Impact
Your ticket directly supports vulnerable young people through crisis services, mental health support, and educational programmes that change lives.
Transparent Operations
Yourtown publishes detailed financial reports showing exactly how lottery proceeds are allocated to charitable programmes—typically 50-60% of revenue goes directly to services.
Learn more in our Yourtown Prize Home Guide, including analysis of draw history and winning patterns.
Other Notable Australian Home Lotteries
Beyond the big three, several regional and specialty operators run quality prize home lotteries across Australia. While they may not offer the same frequency or prize values, they often provide excellent odds and support worthy local causes.
Endeavour Foundation
Supporting Australians with intellectual disability through accommodation, employment, and lifestyle services.
Typical Prize: $1.5M - $2.5M
Draws per year: 4-6
Primary market: Queensland
Surf Life Saving Lotteries
Funds volunteer surf lifesavers who patrol Australian beaches and provide water safety education.
Typical Prize: $2M - $3M
Draws per year: 3-5
Primary market: QLD, NSW
Hospital Foundation Lotteries
Various state-based hospital foundations run prize home lotteries to fund medical equipment and research.
Typical Prize: $1M - $2M
Draws per year: 2-4 (varies by foundation)
Primary market: All states
Australian Lions Foundation
Supports medical research, disaster relief, and community projects through their lottery programme.
Typical Prize: $1.5M - $2M
Draws per year: 2-3
Primary market: National
Regional advantage: Smaller operators often have significantly better odds due to lower ticket sales volumes. If you live in a state with a regional home lottery, you may find better expected value than with the national operators.
How to Maximise Your Chances Across All Home Lotteries
While home lotteries are games of chance, smart strategies can improve your odds and maximise the value you get from your ticket investment. Here's how seasoned lottery players approach Australian home lotteries.
1. Diversify Across Multiple Operators
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Spreading your budget across Mater, RSL, and Yourtown gives you multiple chances to win across different draw dates. Consider this allocation strategy for a $100 monthly lottery budget:
$20
Mater
10 tickets @ $2
$50
RSL
10 tickets @ $5
$30
Yourtown
2 tickets @ $15
2. Leverage Early Bird Draws
Every ticket you purchase is automatically entered into all early bird draws. This is essentially free bonus entries. To maximise this advantage:
-
Buy early in the campaign: Purchasing tickets on day one gets you into every single early bird draw, potentially 10-15 additional chances to win.
-
Track draw dates: Note when early bird draws occur. Some operators have weekly draws, others monthly.
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Compare early bird value: RSL typically offers the most generous early bird prize pools, while Mater has the highest frequency of early draws.
3. Understand Statistical Odds vs Practical Odds
The published odds (e.g., 1 in 500,000) assume all tickets are sold. In reality, operators rarely sell out. Check the specific draw conditions to understand actual ticket numbers sold in previous draws—your real odds may be better than advertised.
4. Consider Multi-Draw Subscriptions
Many operators offer subscription services where you automatically receive tickets in consecutive draws. Benefits include:
Discounted rates (5-10% off)
Never miss a draw
Exclusive subscriber bonuses
Automatic early bird entries
5. Target Lower-Competition Draws
Some draws historically sell fewer tickets. Mid-year draws (winter) often have lower participation than summer draws featuring beach properties. Prize homes in regional locations may attract fewer entries than Gold Coast or Sydney properties, offering better odds.
Expert tip: Focus your budget on one or two draws where you can afford to buy enough tickets to meaningfully improve your odds (minimum 10-20 tickets) rather than spreading single tickets across every available draw.
Are Home Lotteries Worth It? Expected Value Analysis
Let's analyse whether Australian home lotteries offer good value from a purely mathematical perspective. Expected value (EV) is calculated by multiplying each prize value by the probability of winning it, then subtracting the ticket cost.
Example: Mater Home Lottery Draw Analysis
Draw parameters (based on Draw 320):
- First prize: $5.03M home + vehicles + gold package
- Total prize pool: ~$5.5M (including early birds and minor prizes)
- Max tickets available: 21,008,410
- Ticket price: $2
Expected Value Calculation:
Total prize pool / Max tickets = $5,500,000 / 21,000,000 = $0.26 per ticket
Your investment: $2 per ticket
Expected Value: -$1.74 per ticket (13% return)
The expected value is negative, as with all lotteries. However, at just $2 per ticket Mater still offers better mathematical value than Powerball (which typically returns under 5%). Not all tickets sell, so your actual odds may be better than the maximum. The real question is how home lotteries compare to other forms of gambling and charitable giving.
The Real Value Proposition
Why Home Lotteries Are Worth It
- Better odds than Powerball: Yourtown's 1 in 500,000 odds beat national lotteries (1 in 76 million) by orders of magnitude
- Tangible prizes: Real houses you can inspect, not just abstract cash prizes
- Charitable contribution: 40-60% of your ticket price funds worthy causes
- Multiple prize tiers: Early bird draws and minor prizes give additional chances
Realistic Expectations
- You'll probably lose: With typical odds, buying 10 tickets gives you a 0.002% chance of winning first prize
- Not an investment: This is entertainment spending, not wealth building
- Opportunity cost: That $100/month could earn guaranteed returns in an index fund
- Prize complications: Winning a house comes with tax, maintenance, and lifestyle considerations
The bottom line: Home lotteries offer better expected value than most forms of gambling and support charitable causes. However, only spend what you can afford to lose, and consider it entertainment rather than financial planning.
Tax Implications of Winning a Prize Home in Australia
Understanding the tax treatment of home lottery winnings is critical before you buy your first ticket. The good news? Australian lottery prizes are generally tax-free. The complications? They arise when you decide what to do with your prize.
Initial Prize Receipt: Tax-Free
When you win a prize home in Australia, you do not pay income tax on the prize itself. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) treats lottery winnings as windfalls, not assessable income. This applies whether you receive the house or take the cash alternative.
Good news: A $3.4 million prize home comes to you completely tax-free. You do not need to declare it on your tax return, and you will not receive a tax bill from the ATO for winning.
What Happens Next: Where Taxes May Apply
Scenario 1: You Keep the House as Your Home
Tax status: No ongoing tax implications if it becomes your principal place of residence (PPR).
Capital Gains Tax (CGT): Exempt under PPR exemption if you live there. When you eventually sell, no CGT applies (subject to certain conditions).
Important considerations:
- Must genuinely use it as your main residence
- Land tax may apply in some states (varies by state)
- Ongoing council rates, insurance, and maintenance costs
Scenario 2: You Rent Out the House
Tax status: Becomes an income-producing asset. Rental income is taxable.
Income tax: You must declare all rental income on your tax return. You can claim deductions for expenses (rates, insurance, maintenance, depreciation).
Capital Gains Tax: When you sell, CGT applies to any increase in value from when you won it.
CGT Calculation Example:
- Won prize home valued at $3.4M in 2026
- Sold in 2030 for $4.2M
- Capital gain: $800,000
- 50% CGT discount if held >12 months: $400,000 taxable
- Tax payable at your marginal rate (potentially $180,000+ if in top bracket)
Scenario 3: You Sell the House Immediately
Tax status: May be classified as ordinary income by the ATO.
Risk factor: If the ATO determines you entered the lottery with the intention to sell the prize for profit, they may argue it's income, not a windfall.
Important warning:
The ATO has successfully argued in cases where winners immediately sold prizes that the sale proceeds constituted income. This is a grey area of tax law. If you plan to sell immediately, seek professional tax advice first.
Scenario 4: You Take the Cash Alternative
Tax status: Tax-free as a lottery prize.
Future tax: Once received, any investment income generated from that cash (interest, dividends, capital gains) is taxable.
The cash alternative is typically 80-85% of the home's value. If you take $2.8M cash instead of a $3.4M home, that $2.8M is yours tax-free. However, if you invest it and earn $100,000 in investment income, that $100,000 is taxable at your marginal rate.
Other Tax Considerations
Stamp Duty
Most states exempt lottery prize winners from stamp duty on prize home transfers. However, if you later sell and purchase another property, normal stamp duty applies.
Land Tax
State-based land tax may apply depending on the property value and your state of residence. PPR exemptions typically apply if it's your main home.
Centrelink Implications
Winning a prize home affects your asset test for age pension and other benefits. Even if you live in the home, its value may reduce your Centrelink entitlements.
Superannuation
You cannot contribute lottery winnings to superannuation above your normal contribution caps, even though the prize is tax-free.
For comprehensive guidance on Australian tax treatment of competition winnings, read our detailed guide to competition winnings and tax in Australia.
Professional advice essential: Tax law is complex and individual circumstances vary dramatically. Before making any decisions about a prize home, consult with a qualified tax accountant or financial adviser who understands your complete financial situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which home lottery has the best odds?
Yourtown offers dramatically better odds among the major operators, with only 500,000 tickets per draw giving you a 1 in 500,000 chance. Compare that to Mater (up to 21 million tickets per draw) and RSL (around 8 million tickets per draw). However, smaller regional operators like Endeavour Foundation may offer even better odds due to lower ticket sales volumes.
Remember that "best odds" must be balanced against prize value and ticket price. Yourtown's 1 in 500,000 odds for a $3M prize represent far better expected value than Mater's 1 in 21M odds, even though Mater tickets are cheaper at $2.
Can I sell the prize home immediately if I win?
Legally, yes—once the property is transferred to your name, you own it and can sell it. However, there are important considerations:
- Tax implications: Immediate sale may be treated as income by the ATO rather than a tax-free windfall
- Market conditions: Luxury homes can take months to sell at full value
- Selling costs: Agent fees (2-3%), legal costs, and marketing can exceed $100,000 on a $3M+ property
- Cash alternative: Most operators offer 80-85% of the home's value as cash—simpler and potentially more financially sound
Do I pay capital gains tax on a prize home?
It depends on how you use the property:
- No CGT: If it becomes your principal place of residence and you later sell, the main residence exemption typically applies
- CGT applies: If you rent it out or use it as an investment property, you'll pay CGT on any increase in value when you sell (50% discount if held >12 months)
- Grey area: Immediate sale may attract either CGT or be classified as ordinary income—professional tax advice essential
Can I buy tickets as a syndicate?
Yes, syndicates are legal and popular for Australian home lotteries. Pooling money with family, friends, or colleagues increases your chances while reducing individual cost. Key considerations:
- Written agreement: Create a simple written document outlining who contributed what and how winnings will be split
- Trusted coordinator: Appoint one person to purchase tickets and maintain records
- Keep records: Retain all ticket receipts and contribution records
- Tax treatment: Each member's share of the prize is tax-free, but proper documentation prevents disputes
Are interstate residents eligible to win?
Yes, all major Australian home lottery operators (Mater, RSL, Yourtown) accept entries from all Australian states and territories. You can enter from Western Australia and win a Queensland property, for example. Winners are responsible for their own travel to inspect or take possession of the property, but the prize itself is available to all Australian residents regardless of location.
How do I know if I've won?
Lottery operators contact winners directly via phone and registered mail. Additionally:
- Check your registered email—most operators send notifications
- Winners are published on the operator's website (sometimes with privacy protections)
- Major wins are sometimes announced in newspapers
- Ensure your contact details are current when purchasing tickets
Keep your ticket numbers—some operators allow you to check results online by entering your ticket reference.
Quick Reference: Choosing Your Home Lottery
Choose Mater for lowest ticket prices and maximum early bird opportunities
Choose RSL for the highest-value prize homes and luxury inclusions
Choose Yourtown for better statistical odds and youth charity support
Diversify across multiple operators to maximise your annual winning opportunities
Buy early in each campaign to maximise early bird draw entries
Consider regional operators for significantly better odds with slightly lower prize values
Winning the prize is tax-free, but rental income or immediate sale may trigger tax obligations
The cash alternative is usually 80-85% of home value—often the smartest choice
Ready to Enter Australian Home Lotteries?
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