TONIGHT'S National Lottery jackpot stands at an estimated £3.6million as the Set For Life draw returns.
The draw took place at 8pm sharp and the winning numbers are: 14 18, 28, 29 and 38, and the Life Ball is 07.
Meanwhile, Wednesday's Lotto jackpot is an estimated £5.4 million after no-one scooped the top prize on Saturday.
No-one matched all six numbers to win the jackpot, but one ticket-holder matched five numbers plus the bonus ball to scoop £1,000,000.
Read our National Lottery live blog below for the latest news and gossip…
- Louis Allwood
Do lottery tickets expire?
Don’t wait too long as draw-game tickets expire 180 days after the drawing.
Scratchcard prizes must be claimed within 180 days after being purchased.
- Louis Allwood
Can lottery winners remain anonymous in the UK?
Absolutely! Lottery winners can keep their anonymity in the UK.
There is also a common myth or misconception that remaining anonymous affects the amount of money you win.
However, this is absolutely false and your decision about whether or not to go public has no bearing on your jackpot.
- Louis Allwood
What prizes can be claimed at the Post Office?
Prizes up to £500 can be claimed at the Lottery terminal in store.
For prizes over £500 and up to £50,000, you must take your winning ticket to the Lottery terminal for scanning and then go to the PO counter.
AND, if you’ve been really, really lucky and won over £50,000, you will need to claim your prize in person.
- Louis Allwood
What happens to unclaimed prizes?
Any cash that isn’t claimed after a total of 180 days from a game played in the UK goes to National Lottery projects across the country.
Folks in Ireland have just half that time to claim too, with only 90 days before the prize money is off the table.
Once the claim period is over, the ticket officially expires and the owner of the lottery ticket will no longer be able to claim any of their winnings.
But after that time has expired, any unclaimed prizes, plus any interest they might have accumulated in that time, are allocated to the National Lottery’s Good Causes fund instead.
This will usually then go on to help fund things like sport programmes or local community buildings or other projects.
- Louis Allwood
Rule shake up means have to be 18 for scratch cards
A major rules shake-up to National Lottery tickets and scratch card will change who is able to buy tickets from October this year.
Those feeling lucky now have to be over 18 to play, as the minimum age goes up from 16 to 18.
That means it is illegal for any retailer to sell these goods to anyone under the age of 18 – and will apply to favourite games like Lotto and the EuroMillions.
The new rules come into effect from today after being announced as part of a major crackdown on gambling laws last year.
Online sales of lottery tickets and scratch cards have already been banned – this came into force in April this year.
- Louis Allwood
Thunderball prizes up for grabs
5 MAIN NUMBERS Plus the Thunderball – £500, 000
5 MAIN NUMBERS – £5,000
4 MAIN NUMBERS Plus the Thunderball – £250
4 MAIN NUMBERS – £100
3 MAIN NUMBERS Plus the Thunderball – £20
3 MAIN NUMBERS – £10
2 MAIN NUMBERS Plus the Thunderball – £10
1 MAIN NUMBER Plus the Thunderball – £5
0 MAIN NUMBERS Plus the Thunderball – £3
- Louis Allwood
Be gamble aware
The National Lottery operate a ‘Healthy Play’ policy and monitor behavioural patterns in players.
The National Lottery released the following statement, “We know that extraordinary things happen when lots of people play a little. We’re proud to say that around 60% of UK adults enjoy our games, so encouraging healthy play is at the heart of everything we do. The way we design our games and tools helps put you in control of your play.
“To keep players safe online, we use an in-house behavioural analytics model. This identifies at-risk players, enabling us to support them through targeted interventions.”
- Louis Allwood
What is up for grabs in the Euromillions
5 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 2 Lucky Stars – Jackpot
5 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 1 Lucky Star – £130,554.30
5 MAIN NUMBERS – £13,561.20
4 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 2 Lucky Stars – £844.70
4 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 1 Lucky Star – £77.80
3 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 2 Lucky Stars – £37.30
4 MAIN NUMBERS – £25.60
2 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 2 Lucky Stars – £9.10
3 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 1 Lucky Star – £7.30
3 MAIN NUMBERS – £6.00
1 MAIN NUMBER Plus 2 Lucky Stars – £4.30
2 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 1 Lucky Star – £3.60
2 MAIN NUMBERS – £2.50
- Joseph Gamp
Scratching for gold
Striking it rich with a scratchcard might seem like a fantasy – with most punters pocketing a couple of quid, if anything.
But some actually put you in pretty good stead of bagging the top prize.
Read more here.
- Joseph Gamp
Is the Set For Life worth playing?
The game with the best odds, in terms of winning the top prize, is the Thunderball.
According to the National Lottery website, the odds of winning the jackpots are:
- Lotto jackpot: 1 in 45,057,474.
- EuroMillions jackpot: 1 in 139,838,160.
- Set For Life top prize: 1 in 15,339,390.
- Thunderball top prize: 1 in 8,060,598.
Tips to get lucky numbers
Avoid repeats – Another top tip is to ensure you are always choosing numbers that weren’t drawn last week.
While it might seem 3 is a lucky number, just because it appeared in the previous draw, it doesn’t mean it will again next time.
Odds and evens – According to expert analysis, all-odd and all-even line-ups are drawn less than three per cent of the time.
As there are seven gaps to fill, this means it is best to pick three odd and two even, or two odd and three even.
One of these patterns will occur in 68 per cent of EuroMillions draws.
Shun same last digits – Similarly to odds and evens, it’s good to mix things up when it comes to the second digit of your numbers.
Even if seven might be your lucky number, think twice about choosing 7, 17, 27, 37 and 47.
Almost 90 per cent of draws have no more than one repeated last digit.
And your chances of winning with four same final digits drop to less than two tenths of one per cent.
Unclaimed money goes a long way
Any cash that isn’t claimed after a total of 180 days from a game played in the UK goes to National Lottery projects across the country.
Folks in Ireland have just half that time to claim too, with only 90 days before the prize money is off the table.
Once the claim period is over, the ticket officially expires and the owner of the lottery ticket will no longer be able to claim any of their winnings.
But after that time has expired, any unclaimed prizes, plus any interest they might have accumulated in that time, are allocated to the National Lottery’s Good Causes fund instead.
This will usually then go on to help fund things like sport programmes or local community buildings or other projects.
Count your lucky stars
Well, according to the stars, it seems that some of us are much more likely to get it than others.
Before we get to the big reveal of which sign is most likely to pick the right balls and become a millionaire, let’s take a look at some of the other lucky stars in the zodiac.
- Leo
- Virgo
- Scorpio
‘I won £1m on the lottery at 22 and still shop at Asda & Primark’
Roofer Jamie Heavens, then-22-year-old, went to work at his dad Mark’s roofing company in Dorset, near where he lives, and started his hands-on job.
After being sent off to work on another site, he stopped off at Romsey Services off the M27 for fuel and also bought a scratchard.
“I scratched it off in a layby and was stunned when it revealed I’d won £1m,” he said.
He kept it quiet from his colleagues – telling only his uncle and wife-to-be.
However, despite winning big, Jamie said: “Danielle still buys me jogging bottoms from Primark. I go out and graft everyday so she knows I will get them filthy. There’s no point in her getting me really smart ones, they would just get wrecked.”
Wife Danielle is still working as a receptionist at a garage whereas Jamie set up his own company, a roadside recovery service.
Read the article in full here.
A blessing in disguise
Martyn and Kay Tott got the shock of their lives when they realised they’d won £3million back in 2001 – six months after buying the ticket.
By the time they saw an appeal for the winner to come forward, they couldn’t find the ticket.
After 45 agonising days of deliberating, Camelot told the devastated couple that they weren’t going to receive the cash.
“Having that money taken away was torture,” Martyn told the Mail on Sunday.
“For a long time I lost sight of who I was and what I believed in. But I can honestly say I’m glad I didn’t get the £3million now.
“There is no guarantee it would have brought me happiness.”
- Joseph Gamp
Set For Life numbers revealed
Tonight's Set For Life draw has taken place.
The winning numbers are: 14 18, 28, 29 and 38, and the Life Ball is 07.
Are you a winner?
- Joseph Gamp
Set For Life returns in 15 minutes time
Set For Life draw returns in 15 minutes time.
The jackpot numbers, which could see you win £10k a month for 30 years – will be published right here shortly after 8pm.
Stay tuned to our blog for up-to-the-minute results.
- Joseph Gamp
How to play Set For Life?
To play Set For Life, you are required to pick five numbers from 1 to 47 and one Life Ball from 1 to 10.
Draws are held on Monday and Thursday evenings.
You can buy Set For Life tickets online every day from 6am until 11pm.
But remember, to play on a draw day, you’ll need to buy your ticket before 7.30pm.
- Joseph Gamp
Explained: Tonight’s draw
You could get your hands on £10,000 every month for 30 years if you win tonights set for life draw.
It is expected to take place at 8pm and the results will be revealed on our blog.
- Joseph Gamp
Your chances of unlikely events
Experts reveal chances of unlikely events – from death by shark to winning lottery.
Number - crunching experts at cardchat.com have worked out the likelihood of some very unlikely events.
- 1000 – 1 = Seeing a shooting star.
- 37,500 in 1 = Being bitten by a snake.
- 3,700,000 in 1 = Being killed by a shark.
- 1,000,000,000,000 in 1 = Meeting your doppelganger.
- 45,000,000 in 1 = Winning the lottery.
- 500-1 = Being born with an extra toe.
Read the article in full here.
Top scratchcard to get
According to Oddschecker, the best scratchcard to snap up is £500 Loaded with odds of just 1 in 3.15.
For just a fiver you could be in the running for £500.
In second place, with the same odds, is Full of £500s which also has a top prize of £500.
Cashword Multiplier follows close behind, which sees punters scratch off letters to reveal symbols to create full words.
- Joseph Gamp
National Lottery: Weekly timetable
Below is a handy timetable for all UK lottery games including Lotto, EuroMillions and Set For Life.
There is a draw 6 nights a week.
- Joseph Gamp
Business as usual for one millionaire
Winning £1m was sheer luck for Jamie Heavens, who purchased a Millionaire Riches Scratch card after watching a customer in front of him do it.
After leaving the petrol station, he pulled into a layby to scratch it off and was gobsmacked when he won.
However, hardworking Jamie, from Bournemouth, had no intention of quitting his day job.
Jamie told the Mirror: “It was 7.30 in the morning and I still had a day’s shift ahead… I won a million pounds and earned another £100 for my shift.”
After that the roofer and his fiance Danielle spent £25,000 on a lavish wedding with “a band, a videographer and a massive marquee”.
He bought a business but feels rather happy about his new job, adding: “I still work but now I’m my own boss!”
- Joseph Gamp
This is what REALLY happens when you win the lotto
Lottery advisor, Andy Carter spills the beans.
Day one – Your details then get passed on to Andy, who will then call you back to figure out the logistics.
They will check your personal details, such as verifying your identity and your bank account details to get paid your winnings.Two days later – Once you’ve had a little time to think about how you will manage your winnings Andy will pay you a home visit.
His team will triple check all your paperwork, making sure your ticket’s real and verify you are the person who bought the winning ticket.
Afterwards, Andy will send the winning funds to whichever bank account you choose and the money will arrive in your account within two working days.Follow-up programme – The logistics of receiving your money is “just the start” of the long journey for Lottery winners. Two-or-so weeks after the millions have landed in your account, Andy sets up some meetings with legal and financial advisers to help you through.
But on top of this continuous support, the National Lottery believes it is incredibly important to support winners with their mental health. Winners are also provided with a life coach to help them with the big decisions.Read the article in full here.
- Joseph Gamp
Explained: How long do winners have to claim their money?
Winners from different countries have different deadlines to claim their prize.
In Austria, winners have a whole three years to claim the prize before it is returned to the lottery and used to fund boosted prizes.
Belgian winners, on the other hand, only have around 140 days before the money is returned to the Belgian National Lottery.
The least amount of time to snap up the jackpot goes to France and Luxembourg.
Winners from Ireland, Portugal and Spain all have around 90 days to tell the world they’ve won.
Source: Read Full Article
