New National Lottery format to create hundreds more millionaires

The National Lottery’s flagship Lotto game has introduced a major new format offering players two different winning opportunities with every £2 of line purchased. The first draw under these revised rules will be held this Wednesday.

According to the updated system, the Lotto draws, which are held twice a week at 20.00 on Wednesday and Saturday evenings, will now have a two-round structure. This involves two separate machines that draw two sets of six main numbers and a bonus ball.

Most importantly, players can win either round or both from a single Lotto line, without needing to change the selection of six numbers from the 59 balls.

Jackpots will continue to start at £2 million, with the potential to increase up to five times ahead of a must-win draw on the sixth. Players will continue to be rewarded when they match two or more main numbers in a single round.

There are two ways to become a millionaire in the game: by matching all six main numbers for a jackpot prize of at least £1 million, or by matching five main numbers plus the bonus ball for a fixed £1 million. While the main jackpot will be distributed across both rounds, all other prize tiers will maintain their fixed cash values ​​paid out per round. The Lotto HotPicks add-on game will also adopt the new two-round format, priced at £1.

Operator Allwyn predicts a significant increase in the number of Lotto millionaires, predicting that the number will rise from around 140 to around 345 per year. The odds of winning any prize are also expected to increase significantly, from 1 in 9.3 to 1 in 4.9.

Allwyn confirmed that the first retail ticket for the new format was purchased at 5.01am on Sunday in Great Yarmouth for next Saturday’s draw. Meanwhile, an online player in Aylesbury has made his first digital purchase using the advanced gaming option for multiple future draws.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at Allwyn, expressed his excitement at the changes. He 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 price of £2.

We’re talking about more winners, more excitement, and hundreds of millionaires being made every year. This could really be you; “Not once, but twice.”

Chris and Geraldine Bradley, who won £3.5million in 2006 and took part in the National Lottery’s ‘It Could Be You’ campaign, also welcomed the update. They commented: “We know first-hand 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 means more opportunities for the same incredible moment. It’s great to see more people getting the chance to become millionaires. “We won with our family union, and there is nothing better than the feeling of being a big winner.”