You do not need to be a citizen of the United Kingdom, or indeed a permanent resident of the country, in order to participate in the UK National Lottery - but, you must be in the UK. So, if you are visiting the UK for a holiday or business trip then you can participate simply by purchasing a lottery ticket from an approved retailer just like anyone else.

UK players can play the lottery via subscription, but unfortunately this option is not open to overseas players. If you are overseas and you would like to play the lottery then the only way you can currently do this is by joining an unofficial syndicate. This will get you an entry into the draw, although the operators of the syndicate usually make a profit on the ticket sales.

Perhaps a better way of playing the lottery from overseas is to have a friend or family member buy tickets in the UK on your behalf and post them onto you securely. Lottery tickets can be bought for up to eight weeks if you pay in advance, and if your numbers hit a big prize the inconvenience of having to visit the country to collect your winnings will only be a minor one.

an alternative would be to buy your tickets online, if you have a UK bank account or could set one up, and then, if you win the jackpot, you would surely be able to afford the airfare to come and collect your prize!