National Lottery sales and payouts have been paused for around 36 hours from last night, as the game undergoes its biggest technology upgrade in 31 years. Operator Allwyn confirmed that all draw game sales and prize claims in UK shops were halted from 11pm on Saturday, following the Lotto and Thunderball draws.
The National Lottery website and app are also down, with services expected to resume by late Monday morning. Allwyn advised players to buy draw tickets, check results and claim prizes before 11pm on Saturday, as they will not be able to log into their online accounts, buy draw tickets or claim prizes – in-store or online – until Monday.
During the pause, Allwyn will transfer and upgrade the National Lottery’s gaming and retail systems to new platforms. However, it warned that a “small proportion” of in-store terminals could experience delays coming back up if certain upgrade processes are interrupted for various reasons.
Allwyn chief executive Andria Vidler said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver The National Lottery that the UK deserves. These major upgrades will mean short-term disruption for players and our retail partners but they will allow us to deliver on our promise to bring new, exciting games, a better player experience and our commitment to double returns to Good Causes from £30 million to £60 million every week by the end of the 10-year licence.”
