Tickets have gone on sale for the National Lottery's overhauled Lotto game, which promises players two chances to win from a single £2 line. The twice-weekly draws, held every Wednesday and Saturday at 8pm, will now feature a two-round format with two sets of six main numbers and a bonus ball drawn using separate machines.
How the New Format Works
Players can win in one round, the other, or both, all from a single Lotto line. No changes are needed; players still pick six numbers from 59 balls. Jackpots start at £2 million and can roll over up to five times before a must-be-won draw on the sixth. Prizes are awarded for matching two or more main numbers in a single round.
There are still two ways to become a millionaire: matching all six main numbers for a jackpot of at least £1 million, or matching five main numbers plus the bonus ball for a fixed £1 million prize. The jackpot is shared across both rounds, while other prize tiers offer fixed cash prizes per round.
Lotto HotPicks and Odds
The Lotto HotPicks add-on game also adopts the two-round format, priced at £1. The first two-round draw takes place on Wednesday. Operator Allwyn expects the changes to more than double the number of Lotto millionaires annually, from around 140 to about 345, and improve the odds of winning a prize from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9.
Allwyn reported that a player in Great Yarmouth bought the first retail ticket at 5:01am on Sunday for next Saturday's draw. The first online purchase was made in Aylesbury, using an advanced play option for multiple future draws.
Reactions and Testimonials
Andy Carter, senior winners' advisor at Allwyn, said: "This is a huge moment for players as we enter a new era for the nation's millionaire maker, Lotto. From now on, every ticket gives you two chances to win for the same £2 price. We're talking more winners, more excitement and hundreds more millionaires made every year. It really could be you – not once, but twice."
Chris and Geraldine Bradley, from Carmarthenshire, Wales, who won £3.5 million in 2006 and feature in the National Lottery's 'It Could Be You' ad, added: "We know first-hand just how life-changing a Lotto win can be. That's why this new format is so exciting – giving players two chances to win from a single ticket, meaning more opportunities for that same incredible moment. It's fantastic to see even more people getting the chance to become millionaires."
