When you play Melate, the prize is not only for matching all 6 numbers: there are several prize categories by number of matches, and understanding how they work helps you know what you win with 6, 5, 4, 3, or even 2 correct numbers. This guide explains the Melate categories from highest to lowest, why the top category is the accumulated jackpot, how the money is split among categories, what happens when there are several winners, and how the additional number and the Revancha and Revanchita draws fit in. We do not give exact peso amounts because they change with every draw; we describe the structure so you know what to expect. MelateBot is an informational site: it does not sell tickets, does not pay prizes, and is not affiliated with Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública.
How is the Melate prize pool formed and distributed?
The prize pool for each draw is built from a portion of ticket sales. Of that total, a share goes to paying prizes and is then split among the different match categories, each with an assigned percentage. The highest category (matching all 6 numbers) holds the largest share and is the one we call the accumulated jackpot.
The key idea is that the prize is not a fixed amount per category: it depends on how much was sold and how many people won at that same level. That is why two different draws can pay different amounts for the same number of matches. If you want to understand in depth how the main jackpot grows, read our guide to the Melate accumulated jackpot.
The Melate categories by number of matches
Melate rewards several levels of matches, not just the 6-number tier. Broadly, the categories run from highest to lowest depending on how many numbers match the draw, and some split further depending on whether you also matched the additional number. The general structure is as follows:
- 6 matches: the top category, equal to the accumulated jackpot (the grand prize).
- 5 matches + additional: a high intermediate category, above 5 matches alone.
- 5 matches: an important prize, but well below the top one.
- 4 matches + additional and 4 matches: mid-level categories.
- 3 matches + additional and 3 matches: smaller and far more frequent prizes.
- 2 matches + additional: usually the lowest category with a prize.
As you can see, the more numbers you match, the higher the category and the bigger the prize. Low categories pay modest amounts, but they are also the most likely to reach. To gauge how hard each level is, see our guide to the odds of winning Melate.
The top category: 6 matches and the accumulated jackpot
Matching the 6 numbers from 1 to 56 places you in the highest category, that of the grand prize or accumulated jackpot. This category has a special trait: if no one matches the 6 numbers in a draw, the money for that category rolls over to the next draw, and it keeps growing until someone wins.
That is why you sometimes hear that the Melate jackpot reached huge figures: it means several draws in a row with no grand-prize winner. When someone finally matches the 6, they take the jackpot for that category (shared if there is more than one winner). We explain it in detail in the Melate accumulated jackpot, and you can see the current amount for the latest draw in the Melate results.
What role does the additional number play?
Besides the 6 winning numbers, the Melate draw pulls one more number called the additional. The additional is not used for the top category (the 6 matches); instead, it creates intermediate categories that pay a bit more.
In practice, the additional works as a "tie-breaker" between levels: for example, matching 5 numbers plus the additional is worth more than matching only 5 numbers. It works this way in the categories that combine matches with the additional:
- The additional does not affect the 6-match category: only the 6 numbers count for the grand prize.
- The additional does improve your category when you matched 5, 4, 3, or 2 numbers, bumping you to a higher prize level.
- The additional is a single number per draw, so you get one chance to match it in each game.
If you are just learning how the game works, our guide on how to play Melate explains step by step how numbers are chosen and where the additional appears.
How is the prize split among several winners?
Melate works on a shared system: the money assigned to each category is divided among all the winners in that same category. It is not that each winner gets a fixed prize; they receive a proportional share of the total that went to their level of matches.
This has two important consequences worth keeping in mind:
- If you match the 6 numbers but another person (or several) also matched, the grand prize is split among all of them.
- In the low categories, where there are usually many winners, the individual prize is small because the amount is divided among many people.
That is why it sometimes pays to avoid very popular combinations: they do not change your probability of winning, but they could reduce how much you would share if you happened to match. When you win —in any category— check how and where to claim your payment in our guide on how to claim a Melate prize.
Revancha and Revanchita: separate prizes and pools
Revancha and Revanchita are two optional draws you play with your same 6 Melate numbers. Each has its own prize pool, its own match categories, and its own grand prize that can also roll over. They are independent of the main draw.
There is an important technical detail: Revancha and Revanchita are played with 6 numbers from 1 to 56 without an additional number. That is, their categories are based only on how many of the 6 numbers you match, without the additional-number mechanic that Melate has. To understand each one and how they differ, see Melate, Revancha and Revanchita and the guide on the difference between Revancha and Revanchita.
Where can you confirm the amounts for each category?
Since prizes change from draw to draw, the only reliable source for exact amounts is the official information from Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública and the prize table published for each draw. Any figure you see on blogs or social media should be understood as approximate and illustrative; always confirm it with the official source.
On MelateBot you can lean on us for context: check the Melate results to see the numbers and jackpot of the latest draw, and review the Melate statistics to understand how frequent the different match levels are. Remember that no historical data changes your odds: every combination of 6 numbers is equally likely.
Frequently asked questions about Melate prizes by matches
How many prize categories does Melate have?
Melate rewards several match levels, from matching the 6 numbers (the top category) down to low categories that require few matches, usually 2 plus the additional. Some categories split depending on whether you also matched the additional number. The exact count and percentages are defined by the official source.
What is the smallest prize you can win in Melate?
The lowest prize corresponds to the bottom category, which is usually matching 2 numbers plus the additional. It is a modest prize, but it is the easiest level to reach. The exact amount varies in every draw, so confirm it with the official Pronósticos information.
Why does the prize for the same number of matches change between draws?
Because Melate splits each category's money among its winners. The amount depends on how much was sold and how many people matched that level in that draw. If there are many winners in a category, each gets less; if there are few, they get more.
Does the additional number help win the grand prize?
No. The top category is won by matching the 6 numbers, without counting the additional. The additional only improves your category when you matched 5, 4, 3, or 2 numbers, bumping you to a slightly higher prize level within those ranges.
What happens if two people match the 6 numbers in the same draw?
The grand prize (the accumulated jackpot) is split equally among all the winners in that category. So, although your probability of matching does not change, avoiding very popular combinations can help you share the prize with fewer people if you ever win.
Do Revancha and Revanchita prizes add to the Melate prizes?
They are independent pools. If you play Revancha and Revanchita and match in them, you win their prizes separately, on top of whatever you are due in the main Melate draw. Each game has its own categories and its own rollover grand prize.
To keep informed, understand how the accumulated jackpot grows, calculate your odds of winning, learn how to claim a prize, and check the latest results or more articles on the blog.
Play with clear expectations
Knowing the Melate categories by matches helps you understand what you win at each level, with no false promises: chance decides the numbers and every combination is equally likely. Check the statistics with MelateBot and generate your next balanced play in seconds with MelateBot AI Picks.
Related guides
This content is informational and for entertainment purposes. The statistics are provided for illustrative purposes only: every combination of 6 numbers is equally likely and no method predicts the winning numbers.