How Does The Lotto Jackpot Cap Work?
Last Updated: Friday 13th October 2017, 11:25
Once the Lotto jackpot passes £22 million, special National Lottery rules come into effect for how much longer it can roll over and what must happen to the money if nobody matches all six main numbers in the draw when it must be won. Find out how the Lotto jackpot cap works:
What’s The Lotto Jackpot Limit?
The old limit of four rollovers was scrapped when new rules were introduced in October 2015 and a jackpot cap was brought in to replace it. This moveable cap, which can be changed at the discretion of National Lottery operators Camelot, currently stands at £22 million.
However, the maximum jackpot is not £22 million in the same way that the EuroMillions jackpot stops growing at €190 million and surplus funds spill down to the next winning tier. The top prize in Lotto can go beyond £22 million, but this is the mark which signals that the money has to be won in the next draw at the latest.
First Draw After £22 Million
As soon as the Lotto jackpot hits £22 million, it can roll over as normal to the following draw if nobody wins. The estimated top prize for this Saturday night is £22.6 million after nobody won the £19.8 million jackpot on Wednesday. If it proves elusive again this weekend, an even larger amount will be offered in the following draw.
Second Draw After £22 Million
Rules dictate that the Lotto jackpot must be won in the second draw after it has passed £22 million. It is possible that the top prize might be worth £25 million or more by then, depending on ticket sales, and is sure to spark a lot of interest.
The jackpot will be awarded to anyone who matches all six numbers but, if nobody achieves this, it will roll down to players in the next winning tier. For example, there were two players who matched five main numbers plus the Bonus Ball on Wednesday 24th May, when the jackpot had to be won after passing £22 million in the previous draw. As nobody matched all six numbers, they received £12.7 million each.
Once the full amount has been won, the jackpot resets to its minimum value for the following draw.
Time To Play
It is a perfect time to play when the jackpot has surged past £22 million. It is not only a gigantic amount of money, but there is also the chance that you could land great prizes without even having to win the jackpot.
If you fancy giving Lotto a go this weekend, you can play online now or go to any authorised retailer. Good luck!