Generate Your Lucky Numbers
Pick 6 numbers from 1–59 + 1 Bonus Ball from 1–59
Pick 5 numbers from 1–50 + 2 Lucky Stars from 1–12
Pick 5 numbers from 1–39 + 1 Thunderball from 1–14
Pick 5 numbers from 1–47 + 1 Life Ball from 1–10
Lottery Odds & Prize Breakdowns
UK Lotto — Odds & Prizes
| Match | Odds | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Match 6 (Jackpot) | 1 in 45,057,474 | Jackpot (avg £3–10M) |
| Match 5 + Bonus | 1 in 7,509,578 | £1,000,000 |
| Match 5 | 1 in 144,415 | £1,750 |
| Match 4 | 1 in 2,180 | £140 |
| Match 3 | 1 in 97 | £30 |
| Match 2 | 1 in 10.3 | Free Lucky Dip |
EuroMillions — Odds & Prizes
| Match | Odds | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 5 + 2 Stars (Jackpot) | 1 in 139,838,160 | Jackpot (€17M+) |
| 5 + 1 Star | 1 in 6,991,908 | £1M+ |
| 5 + 0 Stars | 1 in 3,107,515 | £100,000+ |
| 4 + 2 Stars | 1 in 621,503 | £2,500+ |
| 4 + 1 Star | 1 in 31,076 | £130+ |
| 3 + 2 Stars | 1 in 14,125 | £60+ |
| 4 + 0 Stars | 1 in 13,812 | £60+ |
Thunderball & Set For Life
Ticket Costs & Draw Days
| Game | Cost Per Line | Draw Days | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Lotto | £2.00 | Wednesday & Saturday | 18 |
| EuroMillions | £2.50 | Tuesday & Friday | 18 |
| Thunderball | £1.00 | Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat | 18 |
| Set For Life | £1.50 | Monday & Thursday | 18 |
Tickets must be purchased before the cut-off time on draw day, typically 7:30pm for Lotto and EuroMillions. Tickets are sold at authorised retailers nationwide and online at thenationallottery.co.uk. Players must be 18 or over.
Historical Big Winners
The UK National Lottery has produced some extraordinary jackpot winners since its launch in November 1994. Here are some of the landmark prizes awarded over the years:
- £195.7 million — A UK ticket holder won this EuroMillions record jackpot in July 2022, the largest ever UK lottery prize.
- £184.3 million — Another record EuroMillions jackpot claimed by a UK player in October 2019.
- £170.2 million — UK EuroMillions winner in October 2021, one of the syndicate wins.
- £66 million — The record UK Lotto jackpot, won by two ticket holders who shared the prize in April 2016.
- £57.9 million — Juliette and Adrian Bayford won this Lotto jackpot in August 2012.
- £41.7 million — Ian and Frances Morley from Cambridgeshire won in 2013.
The Camelot Group (now Allwyn) has paid out over £100 billion in prizes since the National Lottery launched. More than 6,400 millionaires have been created through the National Lottery to date.
Fun Lottery Facts
- The most frequently drawn UK Lotto numbers historically include 23, 40, 38, 33, 31 and 25 — but every draw is completely independent.
- If you bought one Lotto ticket per week, statistically you would win the jackpot once every 866,490 years.
- You are roughly 60 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to win the Lotto jackpot.
- About 45p from every £1 spent on National Lottery games goes to prizes; 25p goes to good causes.
- The National Lottery has raised over £47 billion for good causes including arts, sport, heritage and community projects.
- The biggest single-ticket Lotto winner in history received their prize anonymously — many winners choose to stay private.
Play Responsibly
The lottery is purely a game of chance and should be played for entertainment only. Never spend more than you can afford to lose. Set a personal budget before purchasing tickets.
If you or someone you know has concerns about gambling, free confidential support is available from GamCare (0808 8020 133) and BeGambleAware (gambleaware.org). The National Lottery is operated under a licence from the UK Gambling Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the odds of winning the UK Lotto jackpot?
The odds of winning the UK Lotto jackpot by matching all 6 main numbers are 1 in 45,057,474. The overall odds of winning any prize in Lotto are approximately 1 in 9.3, which includes the free Lucky Dip for matching 2 numbers. The jackpot has a minimum guarantee of £2 million and rolls over if not won, sometimes reaching £15–20 million before being capped and "must be won" draws are triggered.
How many numbers do you pick for EuroMillions?
For EuroMillions you select 5 main numbers from 1–50 and 2 Lucky Stars from 1–12. The jackpot odds are approximately 1 in 139,838,160 — considerably longer than UK Lotto because more numbers and two extra ball selections are involved. EuroMillions is a pan-European game shared across 18 countries including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, which is why prizes can reach €250 million (approximately £215 million).
How much does a UK Lotto ticket cost?
A standard UK Lotto ticket costs £2 per line. You can buy multiple lines on one ticket. A Lucky Dip (random number selection) costs the same. For EuroMillions it is £2.50 per line, Thunderball is £1 per line, and Set For Life is £1.50 per line. Tickets can be purchased at authorised retailers (newsagents, supermarkets, petrol stations) or online via the official National Lottery app and website. You must be 18 or older to play.
What is the Thunderball jackpot and how do you win it?
The Thunderball jackpot is a fixed £500,000 — it does not roll over. To win, you must match all 5 main numbers (from 1–39) plus the Thunderball (from 1–14). The jackpot odds are 1 in 8,060,598. Thunderball draws four times a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday), and tickets cost just £1, making it an affordable option with a decent fixed prize. Lower tier prizes include £250,000 for matching 5 main numbers without the Thunderball.
What is Set For Life and how does it work?
Set For Life is a unique UK lottery game where the top prize is £10,000 every month for 30 years (a total value of £3.6 million). You pick 5 main numbers from 1–47 and 1 Life Ball from 1–10. There are also second-tier prizes of £10,000 per month for 1 year. The jackpot odds are 1 in 15,339,390. Unlike other lottery games, Set For Life winners receive an annuity rather than a lump sum — you cannot choose to take the money all at once.
Does using a number generator improve my chances of winning?
No — and neither does any other strategy. Every combination of lottery numbers has exactly the same probability of being drawn. Using a random number generator, choosing personally meaningful numbers, or picking statistically "rare" combinations all produce identical odds. The only practical advantage of random number generation is that it may help avoid popular number patterns (such as birthdays, which cluster numbers between 1–31), which means if you do win, you are less likely to share the jackpot with another winner who chose the same popular combination.