Frequently asked questions

Getting Started

What's changed on The National Lottery site?

We're continually looking for ways to enhance the service we provide to build a better, and brighter, National Lottery.

There's a dedicated Results Checker for each Lottery Draw Game, so you can see in seconds if you've won
Clearer signposts and links to the areas of the site you want to get to
You can play Lotto and Thunderball by Direct Debit; you'll now be able to change your numbers, add, or remove lines, as well as play by Lucky Dip
A new Game Selector tool where you can filter by game type, top prize, price, launch date and theme, to find the perfect game for you
A new help hub provides answers to all your questions.

To see what's new, take the tour.

Who can open a National Lottery Account?

You can open an Account if you are aged 16 or over and are a resident of the UK or Isle of Man. To play lottery games online you must also have a debit card linked to a UK or Isle of Man bank or building society account, or set up a Direct Debit with us.

Can I play while overseas?

To play UK National Lottery games online, you must be a resident of the UK or Isle of Man at all times. You must also only play in a country where it is lawful to do so, as local laws abroad often prevent the sale or purchase of tickets for any overseas lottery, including the UK National Lottery. This also applies when playing by text.

If you do not meet these requirements, any ticket purchases you make may be declared invalid and no prizes paid, and we will have the right to reclaim any prizes already paid under these circumstances.

Find out more about playing outside the UK and Isle of Man

How do I open a National Lottery Account?

Simply select 'Open Account' at the top right of this page and follow the instructions on each page. In three easy steps you will need to:

enter your personal details including your address;
add a username and password and set up some security questions; and
agree to our Account Terms and Conditions.

The areas marked with an asterisk (*) must be completed. You will need your debit card details or bank account details (to play by Direct Debit) if you want to start playing Lottery Draw Games or Instant Wins.

How many ways are there for me to purchase a ticket interactively?

There are two ways: via our website, or by using your mobile phone.

Managing my National Lottery Account

I thought I had funds remaining in my Account

If your debit card is due to expire we would have attempted to transfer any remaining balance from your National Lottery Account back to your debit card for you before it expires. This may take a few days to appear in your bank/building society account depending on the time your bank/building society takes to process transactions. You will now be required to update your debit card details with a new valid/active debit card to add funds and continue playing online. Please sign in to your Account and register your new debit card.

I've forgotten my password or username, what do I do?

If you have forgotten your password or username, click the 'Forgot username or password?' link at the top of any page. You should then select the link that applies to you (e.g. I've forgotten my username'), enter the relevant details and answer the security questions to be reminded of your username or be given a temporary password.

How do I change my debit card?

The only way you can amend your debit card details is to sign in to 'My Account' and select 'Add/change debit card' from the 'Payment details' menu on the left-hand side navigation.

You can only change your debit card if you have a zero balance on your National Lottery Account. If you have funds in your Account you can either wait until it reaches zero or transfer the balance back to your bank account via your original debit card. If you have funds in your Account and your original debit card is no longer valid, and you do not wish to spend these funds, you will need to contact the National Lottery Customer Care Team on 0845 278 8000. You are able to change your debit card if you have Direct Debit funds only in your National Lottery Account.

How do I change my address online?

You can change your address by signing in to your National Lottery Account:

Go to 'My Account' (on the top right of the screen) and, in the 'Account preferences' menu on the left click on 'Personal details'.

You should then be able to change your personal details by selecting 'edit' at the bottom of the page.

Please note, we use Experian to validate address details. If you have recently changed address, the Experian records may not yet have been updated and you will be unable to update your address details. If this is the case you can continue to play normally under your original address and try to change your address again at a later date. Please remember to come back to keep your details up to date, and remember that your new address must be in the UK or the Isle of Man.

How do I transfer or remove funds?

If you wish to transfer funds to your National Lottery Account, or back to your bank account, please follow these instructions:

Go to 'My Account'.
Select 'Add funds' or 'Remove funds' from the 'Payment details' menu in the left hand side navigation.

Choose 'Remove funds' and the system will transfer the selected amount back to your bank account. This will normally take place within 48 hours, although it can sometimes take 3-5 working days.

Please be aware that this does not apply to your Direct Debit funds. Funds are added and deducted automatically. How do I cancel my tickets?

My Account has been suspended, what do I do?

There are a number of reasons your Account could be suspended, below are the most common reasons:

If you have forgotten your username and password you will be asked to answer two security questions. If you do not answer these correctly your account will be suspended.
When signed into your Account if you are adding or removing funds, or adding or changing your debit card you will be asked to re-enter your password. If you enter this incorrectly more than twice your Account will be suspended.

To re-activate your Account please call the National Lottery Customer Care Team on 0845 278 8000

About the Millionaire Raffle

What is Millionaire Raffle?

The Millionaire Raffle is the exciting new addition to our hugely successful big jackpot EuroMillions game - where one lucky UK player wins a guaranteed £1 million every Friday

When a player buys a EuroMillions ticket, as well as being entered into the main draw, they will automatically be entered into a separate UK-only draw with a guaranteed prize of £1 million.

We launched this raffle as we know our players love the excitement of big jackpots and lots of UK winners.

So, for £2 - an extra 50p - we will create 52 guaranteed millionaires a year, as well as still giving players the chance to win mega-jackpots in the main EuroMillions draw.

More information about the Millionare Raffle Back to top

How much does it cost to play?

As part of the enhancement, the price of a EuroMillions ticket increased to £2 per line. For this extra 50p per line, someone in the UK wins a guaranteed £1 million each and every week, as well as the chance to win a mega-jackpot in the main EuroMillions draw.

Is the Millionaire Raffle exclusive to the UK?

Yes, it is based on extensive research with UK players as to what they would like to see in the UK - namely the excitement of big jackpots and UK winners.

As with Dream Number, can I opt out of the Millionaire Raffle?

No - you are automatically issued with a Millionaire Raffle selection when you purchase your EuroMillions numbers. This gives you the chance to win £1 million each and every week, as well as be in with a chance of winning a mega-jackpot in the main EuroMillions draw.

What are the odds of winning the Millionaire Raffle?

The odds are expected to average out at around 1 in 6 million. As with any raffle, the odds of winning the guaranteed £1 million prize will depend on the total number of entries per draw.

Does the Millionaire Raffle £1 million prize have to be won?

Yes - there will be a guaranteed £1 million winner in the UK every week.

Can I choose my own Millionaire Raffle numbers?

No - just as you can't with any raffle. Each player is allocated a unique combination of three letters and six numbers (eg BCD123456) for every line of EuroMillions purchased, ensuring no two people have the same selection.

Is the Millionaire Raffle draw televised?

The Millionaire Raffle is exclusive to the UK only and the winning raffle selection drawn is broadcast as part of the coverage of the main EuroMillions draw on the BBC Friday night EuroMillions show.

How is the winning Millionaire Raffle selection drawn?

The winning raffle number selection will be selected by an Automated Draw Machine (ADM).

How does the ADM work?

ADMs have been used in the UK for many years - for example ERNIE (Premium Bonds) works on a similar basis.

Traditionally, for a raffle, all the tickets for the draw are loaded into a 'hat' and the winning tickets are randomly picked out. With all the millions of tickets entered into each weekly EuroMillions draw, using a 'hat' is not a practical approach. An ADM allows Camelot to operate a fast, reliable and completely random Millionaire Raffle draw. The ADM is used to pick the winner from all the EuroMillions tickets logged on the Camelot gaming system for each draw.

The Camelot gaming system allocates each valid EuroMillions game entry, including Millionaire Raffle, a number, according to the order in which it was bought, so for example 1 to 10,000 - where 1 is the first entry bought and 10,000 is the last. The gaming system then asks the ADM to randomly select a winning entry from 1 to 10,000. The selected entry is the winner of the Millionaire Raffle and the guaranteed prize of £1 million.

The ADM produces the winning entry entirely at random, so each individual Millionaire Raffle number has a separate and equal chance of winning a prize, regardless of when, where and how it was bought.

How do we know the selection drawn is random?

As with all of our draw machines, the ADM has been rigorously tested - both by Camelot and independently (by the University of Hertfordshire, Statistical Analysis Department) - with information shared with the National Lottery Commission. Camelot has obtained the appropriate verification for The National Lottery from the University of Hertfordshire.

How have these machines been certified?

Gaming Laboratories International in the USA has already certified the ADM for randomness of the numbers generated. ADMs are already in use by other lotteries worldwide.

Playing by Direct Debit (formerly known as subscriptions)

What has happened to my subscription?

Subscriptions will now be referred to as Playing by Direct Debit. Your numbers and draw dates can now be found under 'Direct Debit play slips' within 'My Account', where you will be able to change your numbers, add or remove lines and view tickets for each draw; these will be referred to as Direct Debit tickets.

You can play Lotto and Thunderball by Direct Debit; as well as play by Lucky Dip.

Find out more about playing by Direct Debit.

How does playing by Direct Debit work?

Playing by Direct Debit will allow you to buy Lotto or Thunderball tickets continuously until you inform us otherwise.

Simply complete your Lotto or Thunderball play slip as normal, but choose 'Continuous' as the number of weeks you would like to play for.

Find out more about playing by Direct Debit.

Can I play by Direct Debit from overseas?

When playing National Lottery Games by Direct Debit, you need to maintain a UK or Isle of Man address for the entire duration of your Direct Debit, not just at the time of setting it up.

Please note that you must only set up the Account when you are physically located in the UK or Isle of Man and must not buy additional tickets or change your regular numbers while you are in a country where the playing of an overseas lottery is not authorised. If you need any assistance in setting this up, please refer to our Direct Debit Information.

Why do I have more than one balance?

One balance will exist for funds that have been transferred to your National Lottery Account via your debit card, and one balance for funds that have been collected via Direct Debit.

Your Direct Debit funds are shown for information only.

Where can I view my tickets purchased by Direct Debit?

You can find your tickets by going to 'My Account' and selecting 'Direct Debit tickets' from the 'Games' menu on the left hand side navigation. You can then filter which tickets you want to view and for which period.

How do I change my numbers purchased through Direct Debit?

You can change your numbers or add or remove lines by clicking on 'My Account' and selecting 'Direct Debit play slips'. You can select to change numbers, add lines or remove lines. Please check your play slip details for when changes will take effect.

How do I cancel my Direct Debit play slips?

You can cancel your Direct Debit play slips by going to 'My Account' and clicking on 'Direct Debit play slips.' From here you can either select to cancel all your Direct Debit play slips by selecting 'Cancel all play slips' at the bottom of the page or cancel individual play slips by selecting 'Delete play slip'.

When you play by Direct Debit, we use your play slips to buy a new ticket for you automatically for each draw. We do this a couple of days before the draw takes place. Once we have bought a ticket for you it cannot be cancelled, but you can cancel your play slips which will prevent any more tickets being bought automatically for you for future draws.

Why do my Direct Debit payments differ from month to month?

The monthly cost will vary depending on the number of Wednesdays and Saturdays in a particular month, as all Direct Debit collections are taken from your bank account on the same date every month and not every four weeks.

When will my Direct Debit start?

Your start date depends on whether you select to start your numbers immediately, or you choose to wait for your Direct Debit to be set up. The first draw date will be clearly marked on your play slip which you can see in 'My Account' by clicking on 'Direct Debit play slips'.

Please note that your numbers will not be entered into draws until payment has been received and funds have been cleared.

We recommend that you check your Account and Direct Debit confirmation email for your first payment date and your first draw date.

When will I receive my Direct Debit confirmation?

You should receive your Direct Debit confirmation by email within 24 hours.

Why haven't I received confirmation of my Direct Debit?

From time to time, Direct Debits can be delayed. Sometimes your own email can block our notification which will prevent you from receiving it. You will need to change your settings on your email account or you might have given us an incorrect email address.

Where possible, we will contact you as soon as we can to resolve any issues. Your Direct Debit will not start until your payment has been received and funds have been cleared.

How do I change my bank account details?

If you play by Direct Debit online then you can amend your bank details by going to 'My Account' and selecting 'Change Direct Debit'.

If you manage your Direct Debit by telephone or post, you need to either call us on 0845 278 8000, or notify us by writing to:

National Lottery PO Box 251WatfordWD18 9RD

My Tickets and Transactions

How do I buy a ticket online?

You can buy a ticket online for any of our Lottery Draw Games by selecting the 'Play games' tab on the navigation menu at the top of the page. Then simply pick the game you would like to play and follow the instructions on the page. You will need to sign in to your Account to buy your ticket. When the ticket is purchased, your Account balance will be adjusted.

You can also purchase Lotto or Thunderball tickets by Direct Debit by selecting the 'Play games' tab on the navigation menu at the top of the page. Then simply pick the game from the menu (Lotto or Thunderball) and select 'Continuous' as the number of weeks you would like to play for. You will need to be signed in to your Account and then follow the instructions on the page.

Where can I view my ticket details?

Your tickets can be found by going to 'My Account' and clicking on 'View tickets'.

How do I cancel my tickets?

Tickets cannot be cancelled. When purchasing your tickets, your numbers are entered into the draws at the time of purchase and cannot be cancelled at a later date. Direct Debit tickets are purchased individually for each draw from your saved play slips. You can cancel your play slip to prevent any more tickets being automatically purchased.

Why can't I cancel or change my numbers on tickets purchased through 'My Account'?

Tickets purchased through 'My Account' are purchased and entered into draws immediately. This means that they cannot be cancelled or changed in any way.

Direct Debit tickets are purchased individually for each draw from your saved play slips. You can change or cancel your play slip and the changes will take effect for future draws.

How can I view my current tickets?

You can view your current tickets by going to 'My Account' and selecting either the 'My tickets' icon under the heading 'My Account', or using the 'View tickets' link from the 'Games played' menu on the left hand side of the page.

How can I print my tickets?

To print specific tickets, please go to 'My Account', and then select either the 'My Tickets' icon, or the 'View tickets' option on the left-hand side. You can then view each ticket individually and print it using the handy icon in the top right-hand corner. There is also a link to 'View your tickets' on the confirmation page following your purchase. If you attempt to print your ticket from the ticket confirmation page, the format will not be correct and may result in you not being able to see your complete ticket.

How do I find out about previous results?

The results of all of our Lottery Draw Games for the past 180 days can be found in 'Draw history'. You can also check your numbers for a specific game using our handy Results Checker. Go to 'Check results' and select 'Check your numbers' from the left-hand side menu for the relevant game.

How do I check if I've won?

If you bought your ticket online, we've already checked your numbers for you and will have sent you an email if you've won.

To check your numbers go to 'Check results' and click on 'Check your numbers' for the game you want to check against. Enter your numbers in the Results Checker to find out if you have won.

How long do I have to claim my prize?

Prizes need to be claimed within 180 days of the draw date, after which time the money will go to the Good Causes.

What happens if I win?

When you buy your lottery tickets online, an email will be sent to your registered email address if you win. This email will ask you to sign in to your Account to find out more. For security reasons, the email will not say that you have won. Also, when you next sign in to your Account, there will be a message in your Account informing you of the win.

Tickets purchased by Direct Debit

You can refer to our Direct Debit guide which provides details of how Direct Debit prizes are paid. A summary is also provided below:

Prizes of less than £5,000 will be automatically paid back into the bank account from where the Direct Debit is set up. You will be notified by letter if you manage your National Lottery Account through post or telephone, or by email if you manage your Account online. A cheque will be sent for prizes of £5,000 or more, up to and including £50,000.

We will contact you for prizes over £50,000 to arrange to process your prize claim in person.

Tickets purchased through 'My Account'

Wins up to and including £500

These will be paid directly to your National Lottery Account. You can either transfer prizes to your debit card or use them to play more games.

Wins of £501 to £5,000 inclusive

These are paid directly into your bank via your debit card, once you claim them via the website, so you can quickly start to enjoy them!

Wins of over £5,000

Wins over £5,000 must be claimed by calling our National Lottery Customer Care Team on 0845 278 8000, and will be paid by cheque.

We will contact you for prizes over £50,000 to arrange to process your prize claim in person.

Whatever you win, The National Lottery will only reveal your identity as a winner if you give written consent or if we have to by law. Playing by Direct Debit is completely confidential - we will not pass any details of your Direct Debit on to any other organisation unless you authorise us to do so or we are required to do so by law.

Have I received a scam email?

The National Lottery website is safe and secure. You do, however, need to be on your guard against Internet fraudsters. The National Lottery never requests personal details, discloses any prize amounts, or asks for up-front fees. If you receive an email which sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Lottery scams are increasing at an alarming rate. Read Common lottery scams for more information.

Why am I unable to complete my Instant Win game?

The problem you have encountered with the game is very rare but if you follow the steps below you should be able to complete the game and continue to play other games after that:

Click 'My Account'.
Click on 'Preferences' on the 'Account preferences' menu on the left and scroll to the bottom of the page and select 'Edit'.
Tick the box marked 'Reveal Instant Wins outcome automatically' (by checking this box the game play animation will not show when playing games), click the 'Update' button.
Sign out of your Account and sign back in again.
Clicking the 'Play your unfinished game' in the yellow bar beneath the navigation tabs at the top of the page. The unfinished game will now tell you whether you have won and, if so, how much.

If you wish to see the animation of the games again just follow steps 1-4, un-checking the box in step 3.

If there is anything you are unsure of please do not hesitate to contact us on the number below. Good luck!

Please note, when playing Instant Wins you acknowledge that these are games of chance and the results are determined at the point of purchase. No refund will be given if the animation is not displayed.

How long does it take to transfer funds to my bank account?

Although your transfer is processed almost immediately your bank can take 2-5 working days to credit the funds to your account. This is standard practice for most banks/building societies.

What are the site opening hours?

Our site is open 24 hours a day but there are restrictions around buying tickets which are outlined in 'When can I buy my tickets'. You can still check your results at any time, and read stories about previous winners and Good Causes.

Our games, and access to 'My Account', are not available to players from 2am until 8am due to the site being closed for maintenance purposes.

When can I buy my tickets?

You can buy tickets from 8am until the game closes; to find out full details of when the games are available to play, visit our pages about each draw. You must have purchased your ticket by 7.30pm on the day of the relevant draw to take part. Please note, on occasion, the time the game closes may be delayed and therefore be later than 7.30pm.

Play Instant Wins from 8am until 2am the following day.

What if I need more information?

If you need more information on any lottery topic, please call 0845 278 8000*. The National Lottery Customer Care Team can be contacted between 8am and 11pm, 7 days a week, 364 days a year (excluding Christmas Day).

*Evening and weekend calls cost 6p plus up to 2p per minute from a BT Calling Plan. Mobile and other providers' charges may apply. This information is correct as of September 2008.

I am having difficulty viewing the website in my current browser

In order to deliver an even faster, more convenient service and enhanced functionality to all our players, we have designed our new website to work with the vast majority of the most widely used internet browsers, and to be compatible with over 99% of our players' systems*.

Our website operates successfully using any of the following computer programs:

Browser	Operating System	Flash
Internet Explorer 6	Windows 2K / Windows XP	Flash 9.0
Internet Explorer 7	Windows XP / Vista	Flash 9.0
Mozilla Firefox 3.0	Windows XP / Vista	Flash 9.0
Safari 3.0	Mac OSX	Flash 9.0

To improve your experience of the National Lottery website - and many other websites - you can upgrade your internet browser for free by clicking on one of the links below:

Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox Safari

* Between 12th and 19th March 2009, 99.34% of National Lottery website visitor's browsers and systems were fully supported. Source: Camelot data.

Why can't I see the winning numbers next to my ticket?

In the 'View tickets' area, for any draws where you have won a prize, the winning results will be displayed next to your ticket.

If you wish to check your results for a specific game, you can always use our Results Checkers.

Winning numbers can also be viewed using the 'Check results' tab on the main Home Page navigation.

If you are not lucky enough to have a winning ticket for a particular draw, we no longer display the results for the draws next to your ticket. This small change was made following recent player feedback, where some players found the amount of information displayed made it more difficult to quickly identify on which draw their ticket or numbers had won - especially when purchasing multiple lines over multiple weeks.

Why doesn't the Results Checker tab along to the next box?

The Results Checkers no longer contain the automatic tab function which moves the cursor to the next box. However, you can still manually tab to the next box by pressing the 'Tab' key that is normally situated above the 'Caps Lock' key on the left-hand side of the keyboard. We have made this change so that our site is as user-friendly and accessible as possible, in particular, so that players are in control of the cursor at all times. This is the case for all data-entry fields throughout the site.