UK Lotto Guide: New 2026 Rules, Odds, Draws and Online Play
UK Lotto changed in June 2026. A £2 ticket still uses six selected numbers from 1 to 59, but every ticket now participates in two separate Lotto rounds on the same Wednesday or Saturday draw night. The two round format improved the overall chance of winning a prize while retaining the familiar number selection and £2 ticket price.
UK Lotto at a glance
- Operator: Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery in the United Kingdom, regulated by the Gambling Commission.
- Current format effective: First two round draw on 10 June 2026.
- Price: £2 per Lotto line.
- Number selection: Choose 6 numbers from 1 to 59.
- Rounds: Every ticket enters 2 separate Lotto rounds on the same draw night.
- Draw days: Wednesday and Saturday.
- Draw time: Around 8pm UK local time.
- Per round jackpot odds: 1 in 45,057,474 for one six number selection.
- Overall chance of any prize: About 1 in 4.9 per £2 ticket under the two round format.
- Claim period: 180 days from the applicable draw.
How to play UK Lotto
Choose six numbers from 1 to 59 for one £2 Lotto line. The same selected numbers are entered into two separate drawing rounds on that draw night.
Each round draws six main numbers plus a bonus ball. A ticket can therefore win in either round, and potentially have qualifying results in both rounds.
The jackpot requires all six main numbers in a round. Matching five plus the bonus ball wins a fixed £1 million prize under the current structure.
The two round design is the major 2026 change. Players do not need to buy a second line to enter the second round. Both rounds are included in the £2 ticket.
Lotto HotPicks also moved to a two round format but remains a separate add-on game with its own stake and prize rules.
Ticket prices and add-ons
One UK Lotto line costs £2 and automatically enters both rounds for the chosen Wednesday or Saturday draw.
There is no extra fee for the second Lotto round. This distinguishes the 2026 format from simply buying two separate £2 tickets.
Lotto HotPicks can be added separately for £1 under its own rules. Other National Lottery draw games, such as EuroMillions or Thunderball, are separate products and prices.
The £2 ticket price applies to one six number Lotto selection for one draw night, with both rounds included.
Draw days and times
UK Lotto is drawn every Wednesday and Saturday, normally around 8pm UK local time.
Since the June 2026 change, each draw night contains two separate Lotto rounds. Each round has its own six main winning numbers and bonus ball.
Ticket sales close before the drawings at the time published by The National Lottery. Online and retail systems apply the official cutoff automatically.
The first draw using the new two round structure was Wednesday 10 June 2026, after tickets for the revised game went on sale on 7 June.
Prizes and odds
For a single 6-from-59 round, matching all six numbers has odds of 1 in 45,057,474.
A £2 ticket now receives two opportunities because the same selection is entered in two separate rounds. The National Lottery states that the overall chance of winning any Lotto prize per ticket improved from about 1 in 9.3 under the former structure to about 1 in 4.9 under the two round format.
The match five plus bonus prize is fixed at £1 million per winning entry under the current rules. Other fixed prizes are attached to lower matching categories.
The two rounds are separate drawings. Their results should be checked independently rather than combining numbers from round one and round two.
Jackpots, rollovers and records
The Lotto jackpot starts at £2 million and can roll when there is no jackpot winner.
Under the current rollover structure, the jackpot can roll through a limited sequence and becomes a must be won prize on the designated final rollover draw. If there is no six number winner on a must be won event, the jackpot money is distributed through lower prize categories according to the game rules.
The headline jackpot is shared across the two round draw event rather than creating two separately advertised starting jackpots.
Special Millionaire Raffle promotions can also be attached to selected Lotto events. Those promotions create additional £1 million winners but do not replace the standard six number jackpot mechanism.
How to play UK Lotto online
The National Lottery sells Lotto through national-lottery.co.uk and its official app to eligible registered players.
Online play requires the customer to be at least 18 and to satisfy The National Lottery's location and account rules. UK online play has specific physical location requirements, so being a UK citizen abroad is not the same as being eligible to place an online entry.
Retail tickets remain widely available through authorised National Lottery retailers.
Third party services should not be assumed to be official National Lottery sellers. A messenger or betting service can have a different contractual relationship and payment process.
Claiming prizes
UK Lotto prizes generally must be claimed within 180 days of the draw.
For official online entries, qualifying smaller prizes are handled through the registered account, while major winners go through The National Lottery's high value claim process.
Retail winners should keep the original ticket safe. Larger claims require direct contact, ticket validation and identity procedures.
UK National Lottery prizes are generally not subject to UK income tax when received. Interest, investment returns or gifts made from the winnings can create separate tax consequences.
The 180-day deadline applies to the draw, so winners should not delay checking both rounds of a 2026-format ticket.
UK Lotto FAQ
What changed in UK Lotto in June 2026?
Every £2 Lotto line now enters two separate rounds on the same Wednesday or Saturday draw night.
Did the Lotto ticket price increase?
No. One line remains £2, and both rounds are included.
What numbers do you choose?
Choose six numbers from 1 to 59. The same selection is used in both rounds.
What are the jackpot odds?
For each individual 6-from-59 round, the jackpot odds are 1 in 45,057,474.
How long do winners have to claim?
UK National Lottery draw game prizes generally must be claimed within 180 days.
Lottery play involves the risk of losing the full ticket price. Only play if you meet the legal age and eligibility rules where you live, set a spending limit, and do not chase losses.