The National Lottery website and mobile apps will be taken offline for approximately 24 hours this weekend to facilitate a major upgrade. The shutdown will begin at 11pm on Saturday, January 24, and last until the end of Sunday.
Players can log in and play online until 11pm on Saturday, and the Lotto and Thunderball draws will proceed as usual from 8pm that evening. During the downtime, tickets can still be purchased at retail outlets across the country.
Results and prize breakdowns will be available on YouTube and at the National Lottery's 43,500 retail stores. Winnings on retail-purchased tickets of up to £500 can be claimed in-store as usual.
Operator Allwyn stated that players will notice changes once the services are back online, including a new payment screen and simpler processes for checking results, playing games, and claiming prizes. Videos and FAQs will guide users through the updates.
App users with auto-updates enabled will receive the new version automatically; others will be prompted to update. Allwyn is also introducing mandatory personal deposit and spend limits for new customers, automatic logouts after 60 minutes with a 10-minute cooling-off period, and regular 20-minute reality checks for instant game players.
Allwyn CEO Andria Vidler said: 'These much-needed digital upgrades mark another milestone in our transformation to make The National Lottery more player-focused, with new games, more winners, and greater support for Good Causes.' The upgrade is part of Allwyn's plan to transition 11.8 million active registered players to a new system.
