UK Lotto Lottery Results & Winning Numbers

Did you know that UK Lotto is so popular even the Queen played it? Moreover, she won £10 on her very first lottery draw. But while the Queen is already set for life, you may not be – and playing the lottery can definitely get you a lucky ticket into a peaceful future. UK Lottery winnings attract tons of people every year – and a few of them have hit the jackpot and become millionaires. Making this your story is definitely something desirable.

Below, we tell everything about the National Lottery, as this lotto is often called. History, rules, eligibility, payouts, chances, and other information – this article will help you learn everything you need to know. Want to try your luck and see whether you can hit the jackpot? Don’t wait – read on and buy the tickets.

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About the UK Lotto

UK lotto – or the National Lottery – is the most popular lottery in the United Kingdom operated by the Camelot Group (Camelot UK Lotteries Limited). Established in 1994, it’s the longest-running game in the UK that has already made many people forget about their financial worries. Millions of people play it every day, and around 15 to 45 million tickets are sold for each draw. However, those can only be purchased by UK citizens – unfortunately, if you live abroad, you can’t buy a ticket.

Nevertheless, nothing stops you from playing when visiting (or joining an online lottery syndicate). And if you already live in the UK, you should definitely give this lottery a try – and who knows, maybe you’ll hit the next jackpot? The basic jackpot is £2 million on a Wednesday and £3.8 million on a Saturday, but rollovers are possible up to five times.

And, to increase your chances of winning big, there is an interesting hack called a “Must Be Won” draw. If the jackpot rolls over 5 times and is not won, it is shared among all players matching 2 or more main numbers, so thousands can expect a boosted cash prize.

However, UK Lotto didn’t always look like that. Up until 2002, it was called the National Lottery (hence the modern nickname), and Lotto was its main game. Thanks to it becoming the most popular draw, Camelot rebranded the National Lottery into Lotto but created some other National Lottery games that are today enjoyed by many. Camelot UK Lotteries Limited include:

• Thunderball
• Set for Life
• EuroMillions (a pan-European lottery)
• Lotto and EuroMillions HotPicks
• Scratchcards

And a few others.

Lotto is, however, the most popular game by far. It has undergone some major changes in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2018, making it the game it is today.

But before you go reading the rules and figuring out how many National Lottery Games to take part in, here’s a fun fact for you. To truly randomize the lottery draw, a variety of lottery machines and sets of balls are used. They are chosen at random by an independent onlooker from sealed envelopes during each draw. And, to make it more fun, the machines bear the names taken from King Arthur mythology – such as Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Merlin – along with the names of the gemstones.

How to Play the UK Lotto

First of all, buy a ticket – you can do that online or by visiting an authorized retailer. Ticket sales continue until 7.30 pm on draw days, so you are able to make up your mind even at the last moment before UK Lotto results. It costs £2 per play, and you can choose up to seven lines on a single play slip. Moreover, when playing online, you can choose a subscription for up to four consecutive weeks. You can also decide to play continuously via Direct Debit.

Then, select your lucky numbers – or use online generating software to randomize your choice. To win the jackpot, you need to match six numbers from 1 to 59 correctly.

If you are not sure about your luck, don’t worry – even if you don’t hit the jackpot, you still can pick some lucky numbers and win. There are four lower-tier prizes starting at £30, and even if you match only two numbers correctly, you get a Free Lucky Dip Ticket. A Bonus Ball is also drawn – if you match five numbers correctly as well as the Bonus one, you can win up to £1 million.

UK Lotto Drawing Schedule

Draws take place every week at 20:00 local time on Wednesdays and 19:45 on Saturdays. If the draw falls on Christmas Day, it is moved to Christmas Eve.

All of the draws are shown live and online – so if you decide to participate, you can always watch the lottery results on the official website.

UK Lotto Payouts and Odds of Winning

Here’s a quick summary of all UK Lotto prize payouts along with the odds of winning:

• 6 numbers – £3.8m minimum on Saturday and £2.0m minimum on Wednesday; the odds are 1 in 45,057,474
• 5 numbers + bonus number – £1 million; the odds are 1 in 7,509,578
• 5 numbers – £1,750; the odds are 1 in 144,414
• 4 numbers – £140; the odds are 1 in 2,179
• 3 numbers – £30; the odds are 1 in 95
• 2 numbers – Free Lucky Dip Ticket; the odds are 1 in 9.3.

UK Lotto FAQ

– When Is the UK Lotto Drawing?

The draw takes place every Wednesday and Saturday at 20:00 and 19:45, respectfully. You can watch the lottery results on TV if you live in the UK or online on the official website. Note that if the drawing falls on Christmas Day, it is moved to Christmas Eve.

– Can I Buy the UK Lotto Tickets Online?

You can buy UK Lottery Tickets both online (on the official website or some licensed gambling websites) as well as in person at authorized selling points. However, to do so, you need to be a resident of the UK or Island of Man, have a UK bank account, and be physically present in the UK or Isle of Man when making the ticket purchase. Moreover, you need to be 18 or older.

If you decided to join a lottery syndicate, please note that the person purchasing the tickets must meet the criteria above. Also, all syndicate remembers must be at least 18 years old.

– What to Do If I Win the UK Lotto – How to Claim the Prize?

If you have picked lucky Lotto numbers and won, congratulations. Now it’s time to claim your prize. The way of doing that will depend on the method you used to play. For example, if you were a part of an online syndicate, the winnings will be deposed straight to your account in most cases. Make sure to check the guidelines of the syndicate before buying tickets.

On the other hand, if you have bought a lottery ticket yourself, the situation will be a little more different. For winnings under £50,000, the payment process will depend on the method of buying the ticket. If you played via Direct Debit, all winnings would be paid into the bank account linked to your Direct Debit. If you have bought a ticket from a retailer, you can potentially claim up to £500 at their discretion and over £500 at a designated post office, regional National Lottery center, or by post.

If you have played online, the winnings up to £500 will be paid into your National Lottery account, and the winnings up to £30,000 – into the bank account linked to the debit card that you have used to set up your account. If you have won more than £30,000 but less than £50,000, you will have to contact the Customer Care team, and the winnings will be paid by cheque.

For all winnings of £50,000 and more, you will need to contact the National Lottery directly to arrange for your claim to be processed in person.

– How Many Numbers Do You Need to Win UK Lotto?

To win the Lotto jackpot, you need to pick six lottery numbers correctly. However, lower-tier prizes start at two lotto numbers and go up to five main numbers + bonus ball.

– Has Anyone Ever Won the UK Lotto?

Yes, there were already plenty of people who won the UK Lotto jackpot. The highest jackpot was won in January 2016 – £66,000,000 jackpot was split between two winners – David and Carol Martin from Hawick in the Scottish Borders and another anonymous ticket holder.

– What Are the Chances of the Top Prize?

The chances of hitting the UK Lotto jackpot are 1 in 45,057,474, with the average maximum prize per winner being £13million. An expected prize is £3.8m minimum on Saturday and £2.0m minimum on Wednesday.

– What Are the Overall Odds of Winning?

The overall odds of winning any prize in the UK Lotto are 1 in 9.3.