How to play Lotto: the new two-round format explained
How the new Lotto works, what it costs, what you can win and your real chances in each round.
Read the guide →GUIDES
Good questions.
Clear answers.
How each game works, what you can win and what to do if your numbers come up. Checked against the operators’ own rules.
How each game works
Prices, draw times, prizes and your real chances for every game we cover.
How to play EuroMillions: prizes, odds and the UK Millionaire Maker
The rules, the price, every prize tier and the extra £1 million UK draw that comes with each ticket.
Read the guide →How to play Thunderball: the £1 game with a £500,000 top prize
Draw days, prizes and odds for Thunderball, including why you can win with no main numbers at all.
Read the guide →How to play Irish Lotto: the new 45-ball game and Monday draws
What changed in September 2026, what a line costs, the prizes and how Lotto Plus works.
Read the guide →How to play US Powerball from the UK
How UK players enter the world’s biggest rolling jackpot, what it costs and how the prizes are paid.
Read the guide →If you win
Tax, privacy, deadlines and what happens after a big win.
Are lottery winnings taxed in the UK?
Why your win itself is tax-free, and the taxes that can apply to what you do with the money afterwards.
Read the guide →Can you stay anonymous if you win the lottery in the UK?
Whether your name gets published, how to keep a win private and why many winners choose to.
Read the guide →How long do you have to claim a lottery prize?
The 180-day rule for UK National Lottery prizes, what happens to unclaimed money and how to avoid missing out.
Read the guide →What happens when you win the lottery? Your first steps
A calm, step-by-step look at the first hours and weeks after a win, from checking the ticket to getting paid and planning what comes next.
Read the guide →How to spend lottery winnings: a simple plan for UK winners
What UK lottery millionaires really buy, from houses and cars to hot tubs, and a simple plan to make your own win last.
Read the guide →How many people win the Lotto jackpot each year? We counted every draw
We went through all 3,168 Lotto draws from 1994 to May 2026. Here’s how many jackpot winners there were each year, and why the number fell off a cliff.
Read the guide →The essentials
Checking a ticket, claiming a prize and making sense of the odds.
How to check your lottery ticket safely
Find the right draw, compare the right numbers and keep your ticket safe from mistakes and scams.
Read the guide →How to claim a lottery prize, and how long it takes to get paid
How to claim by prize size, how the money reaches you and how long each route takes.
Read the guide →Lost your lottery ticket? What to do next
How to report a lost, stolen or damaged National Lottery ticket, the 30-day deadline and how to stop it happening again.
Read the guide →What time is the lottery draw? Every UK draw and cut-off time
Lotto is drawn at 8pm, EuroMillions at 8:45pm and Thunderball at 8pm or 8:15pm. Ticket cut-off times, results times and every draw day in one place.
Read the guide →Which lottery has the best odds? Every UK game compared
Thunderball has the best jackpot odds and Lotto gives you the best chance of winning something. Every UK and Irish game side by side.
Read the guide →The Health Lottery explained: how it works, prizes and odds
The Health Lottery isn’t part of The National Lottery. Here’s how The Big Win works, what you can win, the odds and where your £1 goes.
Read the guide →The Spanish Christmas Lottery explained: El Gordo 2026
El Gordo is drawn on 22 December. Here’s how Spain’s Christmas lottery works, what you can win, the tax, the odds and how to play safely from the UK.
Read the guide →Lottery syndicates: how to set one up, play and share a win
A lottery syndicate lets a group play more lines together. Here’s how to set one up, what to put in the agreement, who claims a win and how tax works.
Read the guide →What are the odds of winning the lottery? Lotto odds explained
The real odds of winning the Lotto jackpot and every other prize, what the two rounds change, and what 1 in 45 million actually means.
Read the guide →Your ticket is the starting point
Keep the game name and draw date to hand. For confirmation of a result or prize, check directly with the official operator.
See the latest results → Free lottery tools → Real winner stories →