Ithuba & the SA National Lottery Explained
Reviewed for responsible-gambling compliance by Priya Naidoo.
Ithuba is the operator that runs the South African National Lottery, meaning the family of official, pooled lottery games most South Africans know by name. When you buy a Lotto or Powerball ticket at a shop or through a banking app, Ithuba is the licensed body behind that draw.
This guide explains who Ithuba is, which games it runs, how to play them legally, and on which days the main draws take place, so you can tell the national lottery apart from the fixed-odds lucky-numbers bets offered by bookmakers.
Who is Ithuba?
Ithuba is the licensed operator of the South African National Lottery. A national lottery licence is granted by the state, and the holder is responsible for running the official games, paying out prizes and directing a share of proceeds to good causes through the National Lotteries Commission. This is fundamentally different from a bookmaker. When you play an Ithuba game you are buying into a pooled lottery, where ticket money forms a shared prize fund that is split among winners in each tier, and the top prize can roll over and grow if nobody wins it. A bookmaker lucky-numbers bet, by contrast, pays you at fixed odds from the operator, with no shared pool. Understanding that difference matters because it changes how prizes are funded and how big they can get. Ithuba games are sold only through licensed retailers and authorised online and banking-app channels, and you must be eighteen or older to play.
Which games does Ithuba run?
- Lotto, plus the add-on draws Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2, where you pick six numbers.
- Powerball and Powerball Plus, where you pick five numbers plus a separate Powerball.
- Daily Lotto, a nightly draw where you pick five numbers from a small pool of 1 to 36.
- SportStake 13 and SportStake 8, football pool games where you predict match results.
- Occasional special and raffle draws run under the national lottery licence.
Ithuba games and draw days
| Game | Numbers to pick | Typical draw days |
|---|---|---|
| Lotto | 6 numbers from 1 to 52 | Wednesday and Saturday |
| Lotto Plus 1 & 2 | Same board as Lotto | Wednesday and Saturday |
| Powerball | 5 numbers plus 1 Powerball | Tuesday and Friday |
| Powerball Plus | Same board as Powerball | Tuesday and Friday |
| Daily Lotto | 5 numbers from 1 to 36 | Every night |
| SportStake 13 | Predict 13 match results | Per fixture round |
How do you play Ithuba games legally?
Playing an Ithuba game is straightforward and legal as long as you use an authorised channel. You can buy tickets in person at licensed National Lottery retailers across the country, or online and through several South African banking apps that offer authorised lottery entry. You choose your numbers yourself or take a quick pick, which selects at random for you, then pay the set ticket price per board. Keep your ticket or digital confirmation safe, because you need it to claim any prize, and smaller prizes are usually paid automatically to the account you played from. You must be eighteen or older to play or claim. Never buy national lottery entries through an unofficial reseller, since only licensed channels are backed by the operator. As with any gambling, decide a budget you can afford before you play, and treat a lottery ticket as entertainment rather than an investment plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ithuba?+
Ithuba is the licensed operator of the South African National Lottery, responsible for running the official pooled games, paying prizes and channelling a share of proceeds to good causes. It runs Lotto, Powerball, the Daily Lotto and the SportStake football pools. Because these are pooled lotteries rather than bookmaker bets, prize money comes from ticket sales and is shared among winners in each tier.
Which games does Ithuba operate?+
Ithuba runs Lotto and its Lotto Plus add-ons, Powerball and Powerball Plus, the nightly Daily Lotto, and the SportStake 13 and SportStake 8 football pools, along with occasional special draws. Each has its own rules, number pool and draw days. They are all pooled national lottery games, which is different from the fixed-odds lucky-numbers bets, such as UK49s, that bookmakers offer.
What days are the main Ithuba draws?+
Lotto and its Lotto Plus draws are held on Wednesday and Saturday, while Powerball and Powerball Plus are drawn on Tuesday and Friday. The Daily Lotto is drawn every single night of the week. SportStake pools run per fixture round rather than on fixed weekdays. Draw times can be adjusted around public holidays, so check on the day if you are near a cut-off.
How is an Ithuba game different from a bookmaker bet?+
An Ithuba game is a pooled national lottery: your ticket money joins a shared fund that is split among winners, and a jackpot can roll over and grow. A bookmaker lucky-numbers bet pays you at fixed odds from the operator with no shared pool. That is why lottery jackpots can become very large, while bookmaker payouts depend on your stake and the posted odds.