Changes to Lotto on the way: Twice as Many Chances to Win!
Last Updated: Wednesday 15th April 2026, 10:32
In June, the UK's flagship 'Lotto' game will undergo the biggest change in the game's history, giving players an extra chance to win prizes on every draw, with no added cost. Similar alterations will also be made to Lotto HotPicks. How will they pull it off? Check below for all the details.
Two Draws Per Night
The biggest difference between the current Lotto and the changes on the way is that two Lotto draws will take place for each draw night, each with six numbers selected from a pool of numbers from 1 to 59. Players' numbers are entered into both draws, so you can win prizes from the first draw, the second draw, or both! What you can't do, however, is combine the winning numbers from the two draws. For example, matching one number in Round 1 and one number in Round 2 does not constitute a Match-2 win.
The jackpot will be shared between the two draws. For example, if one player matches all six of the numbers in the first or second draw, they'll win the entire advertised jackpot. If in another game three players win the jackpot, with two winners for the first draw and one winner for the second draw, the jackpot will be divided evenly between the three.
The prizes for each of the five prize categories will be changing, and you can check a comparison table below. Remember, although the new prizes are lower than the old, your odds of winning them are twice as good.
|
Prize Category |
Odds |
Current Prize |
New Prize |
|
Match 6 |
1 in 45,057,474 |
Jackpot |
Jackpot |
|
Match 5 + Bonus |
1 in 7,509,579 |
£1 million |
£1 million |
|
Match 5 |
1 in 144,415 |
£1,750 |
£1,000 |
|
Match 4 |
1 in 2,180 |
£140 |
£50 |
|
Match 3 |
1 in 97 |
£30 |
£10 |
|
Match 2 |
1 in 10.3 |
Free Lotto Lucky Dip |
£1 |
Millionaire Raffle Events
During special scheduled draws, Lotto will also feature a new Millionaire Raffle code, included in the cost of the ticket. By the looks of it, this will function exactly the same as the current EuroMillions Millionaire Maker codes, except that they will be limited to designated special draws.
Each ticket (for a Millionaire Raffle draw) will also come with a raffle code printed on it. As part of the draw, a limited number of raffle codes will be chosen as winners. The odds of winning a raffle are dependent on the total number of players for that draw, with lower ticket sales giving you a better chance of winning.
What's Staying the Same?
Although these are big changes, the game won't be unrecognisable. Lotto tickets will still cost £2 each, and the draw days will remain every Wednesday and Saturday. Must Be Won draws aren't going anywhere either, taking place when the jackpot rolls for five draws without being won. Must Be Won draws may also at times be scheduled to take place regardless of the number of rollovers prior to the draw.
Must Be Won draws with no jackpot winners will see all Match-2 winners awarded £5, with Match-3 winners also possibly receiving a boosted prize depending on the formula and the amount of money in the prize pool.
What's Behind These Changes?
For a long time, players have been asking the National Lottery to share smaller, but still life-changing, jackpots between more players, and this new format will massively improve Lotto fans' chances of becoming millionaires. This is because it's now twice as easy to win the jackpot and the £1 million Match-5+bonus prize, not to mention the new Millionaire Raffles for special draws.
Lotto HotPicks Changes
Lotto HotPicks is also changing in line with the changes made to Lotto. Players will continue to pick how many numbers they want to match and make their selections, but they will have twice as many chances to win thanks to the additional draw. Players' numbers are entered into each draw, for the chance to win two prizes at a time.
Playing a one-pick game with the number 10 would earn you £3 if it was drawn in either the first or the second Round. If it's drawn in both, you'll win the same prize twice: £6! Check the table below to compare the old prizes with the incoming ones.
|
Prize Category |
Odds |
Current Prize |
New Prize |
|
Match 5/5 |
1 in 834,398 |
£350,000 |
£175,000 |
|
Match 4/4 |
1 in 30,342 |
£13,000 |
£6,500 |
|
Match 3/3 |
1 in 1,626 |
£800 |
£400 |
|
Match 2/2 |
1 in 114.1 |
£60 |
£30 |
|
Match 1/1 |
1 in 9.9 |
£6 |
£3 |
US Powerball Lottery Coming to UK!
In the same press release that these changes were announced, there was some more big news: this summer, the UK National Lottery will begin offering official tickets for the USA Powerball lottery, the game with the biggest jackpots in world history. You can read all about it in our dedicated article.
When Will the Update go Live?
The dates for the changes to Lotto and HotPicks have been confirmed right away. The new tickets will be available to purchase from Sunday 7th of June, ready for the draw on Wednesday 10th of June. In preparation for the change, players will no longer be able to queue plays up to four weeks in advance. In the meantime, you can continue to play the current Lotto and HotPicks games as-is. Check out our Tickets Page to get involved online.
