UK Lotto FAQs

Do you have questions about UK Lotto? This is the place to find out all of the answers that you need in order to enhance your playing experience.

Question: When does the UK Lotto draw take place?

Answer: The UK Lotto draw takes place every Wednesday and Saturday evening. Wednesday draws are scheduled for 8pm and Saturday draws for 8.30pm, with a full breakdown of results and prizes available soon after the draw is completed.

Question: What time do UK Lotto ticket sales close?

Answer: Sales for UK Lotto tickets close at 7:30pm GMT on the night of the draw. Ticket sales will re-open for the next draw later that evening.

Question: How do you win a prize on UK Lotto?

Answer: UK Lotto has six prize tiers, ranging from a fixed Lotto Lucky Dip ticket awarded for matching two main numbers up to the multimillion-pound jackpot for matching all six main numbers. Players who match five main numbers can increase the value of their prize by also matching the Bonus Ball. There is a full list of the UK Lotto prize tiers and your chances of winning in each one on the UK Lotto Prizes page.

Question: Can I play UK Lotto if I do not reside in the UK?

Answer: You can play UK Lotto from wherever you are in the world courtesy of an online ticket concierge service. They will purchase your ticket, send you a scan of it and process any winnings that you are due before transferring them to you. Have a look at the Lotto Tickets page for more information on playing UK Lotto.

Question: If I win, how long do I have to claim a prize?

Answer: The cut off point for claiming UK Lotto prizes is 180 days from the date of the draw. Any winnings not claimed by that point will be allocated to the UK National Lottery Good Causes Fund, which helps fund charitable projects across the country.

If you purchase your ticket online, you will be notified after the draw if you are due a prize, meaning that you won’t miss out on a big win.

Question: How old do I have to be to play UK Lotto?

Answer: You must be 18 years or older to take part in the UK Lotto online and instore.

Question: Are winnings on UK Lotto taxable?

Answer: Players within the UK will not be taxed on their winnings, but online players from elsewhere may be liable for taxes in their home country. It is best to check with your local tax authority to find out whether or not you owe any taxes on your windfall.

Question:What are the odds of winning UK Lotto jackpot?

Answer: The odds of matching six main numbers are 1 in 45,057,474.

Question: What are the odds of winning a prize on UK Lotto?

Answer: You have a 1 in 9.3 chance of winning a prize on UK Lotto. The UK Lotto Prizes page offers a rundown on the different prize tiers and your chances of winning in each.

Question: Does UK Lotto have a minimum guaranteed jackpot?

Answer: The starting jackpot for Wednesday draws is a minimum of £2 million, and £3.8 million for Saturday draws. They may be higher than this if there are sufficient ticket sales.

Question: Does UK Lotto have a rollover limit or jackpot cap?

Answer: The Lotto jackpot can roll over for a maximum of five consecutive draws. After that, a ‘Must Be Won’ draw is held, in which the prize money is guaranteed to be given away. If no one matches all six numbers to win the jackpot in a Must Be Won draw, the money is shared between winners in all categories from Match 3 to Match 5 + Bonus Ball.

Question: What is the largest jackpot won on UK Lotto?

Answer: On 9th January 2016, two tickets shared a jackpot of £66,070,646, which broke the record for the biggest top prize ever given away on UK Lotto.

Question: What is the Lotto Millionaire Raffle?

Answer: The Millionaire Raffle was discontinued in November 2018 so is no longer available to play. It replaced Lotto Raffle in October 2015 and allowed ticket holders to win one of 20 prizes of £20,000, or even the top tier award of £1 million, by matching the code that was automatically generated on their UK Lotto ticket with one of those drawn on the night.

Question: When is the next UK Lotto draw?

Answer: Saturday 23rd November 2024 .

Question: What does the UK Lotto jackpot currently stand at?

Answer: The next UK Lotto jackpot is £7.4 Million

Question: How much does it cost to buy a UK Lotto ticket?

Answer: A single ticket costs £2. Please note that a small handling fee will also be required if you buy your ticket through an online concierge service.