Brits have the opportunity to become overnight multimillionaires a few times every week.
With that kind of dosh, you could escape the predicted stormy weather with a luxury holiday abroad in a hot, exotic location.
But how many matching numbers do you need to win big – and what prizes are up for grabs for those who don’t get all the winning numbers?
Here is all you need to know.
National Lottery prizes explained
Under current rules, which were updated in November 2020, you match all six numbers, then you win the jackpot. Easy.
You can also win some cash by matching two, three, four, and five of the six numbers.
The prizes for matching numbers are as follows:
- Match six main numbers – Jackpot
- Match five main numbers plus the bonus ball – £1million
- Match five main numbers – £1,750
- Match four main numbers – £140
- Match three main numbers – £30
- Match two main numbers – Free lucky dip
National Lottery players who successfully manage to match two numbers will win £5. However, this only applies to a ‘must be won’ game, which occurs after the jackpot rolls over five times in a row – which could happen if no one wins tonight’s quadruple rollover.
Commercial Director at Camelot, Neil Brocklehurst, previously said: ‘We know an unexpected extra fiver – which could be spent on a box of chocolates, a book or magazine, or to treat a friend to a coffee – can really put a smile on someone’s face.’
According to the official Lottery site, the odds of matching two numbers is a whopping one in 10.3 – now those are odds worth playing!
How do you know if your ticket is a winner, and how do you claim your money?
If you bought your ticket online or via the National Lottery app, you will get an email notification letting you know you are a winner after the draw has taken place.
For those who bought a ticket in-store, you can scan it in using the National Lottery app.
Your winnings can be claimed in a couple of different ways depending on how much you’ve won.
For those who played online, winnings of up to £500 will be paid directly into your National Lottery account.
For winnings of £501 to £30,000, your prize will be paid into the bank account associated with the debit card that you have used to set up your account, or into the bank account associated with your Direct Debit.
For prizes of £30,001 to £49,999, you must call the Customer Care team on 0333 234 44 33 and prizes will be paid by cheque – if you paid by Direct Debit your winnings will be deposited into that account.
For prizes £50,000 and over you will need to call the National Lottery on 0333 234 44 33 to arrange for your claim to be processed in person.
If you played at a retailer, you can claim up to £100 from any retailer.
Prizes up to £500 can also be redeemed from selected Post Offices.
For prizes £501 to £30,000, you can claim your prize from a designated post office, regional National Lottery centre, or by post. You may have to complete a claim form and provide photo ID and proof of address.
And as above, for prizes £50,000 and over, call the National Lottery on 0333 234 50 50 to arrange for your claim to be processed in person.
The Lotto draw takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
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