National Lottery unclaimed prizes: UK tickets news, winners, EuroMillions results - millions remain unclaimed

• Millions in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed each year due to forgotten or lost tickets
• Winning tickets are often left in coat pockets, gloveboxes, or email inboxes unnoticed
• Winners have 180 days from the draw date to claim their prize before it’s forfeited
• Several major prizes, including two £1 million wins, remain unclaimed right now
• It’s worth checking your old tickets or online account — you could be sitting on a fortune

Every year, millions in National Lottery winnings go unclaimed — not because the prizes are lost, but because the winners never realise they've won.

Tickets get crumpled into coat pockets, slip behind sofa cushions, or lie unopened in email inboxes, silently holding life-changing news. Right now, someone out there is unknowingly rich — and it could be you.

With several big wins still waiting to be claimed, it’s well worth checking the list below. That forgotten ticket might just rewrite your future.

How long do National Lottery winners have to claim their prize?

Winning lottery ticket holders have 180 days (approximately six months) from the draw date to claim the prize.

If no valid claim is made within the deadline, the prize money - along with any interest it accrues - goes towards funding National Lottery Projects across the UK.

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How can National Lottery winnings be claimed?

Prize winnings of £500 and under can be claimed in store from a National Lottery retailer - that is, an authorised store or outlet where you can purchase lottery tickets, like newsagents, supermarkets, and petrol stations.

Prizes over £500 and up to and including £50,000 can be claimed online. For prizes over £50,000, and monthly prize winnings (Set For Life), winning ticket holders should call the National Lottery on 0333 234 50 50 to confirm and arrange the winning claim.

If your ticket has been damaged or destroyed, you still may be able to make a valid claim, however, an appeal should be filed within 30 days of the draw date.

Details on the information you would need to provide can be found on the National Lottery website.

How to increase your chances of winning the lottery

Let’s be honest: hitting the jackpot isn’t easy. The odds are slim, but there are ways to improve your chances and spend less money while pursuing that life-changing prize.

Lottery syndicates have been popular for as long as the draws themselves - and for good reason. By pooling resources with others, you can boost your odds of winning.

Sure, you’ll have to share the prize, but when it’s a £100 million EuroMillions jackpot, does that really matter?

This is the clever ethos behind Lotto Social, an online syndicate anyone can join in. Not everyone will have a syndicate at work, or in a pub, or a sports club, so this opens the opportunities up to the wider public.

With its simple online platform, Lotto Social unlocks far more opportunities for wins, whether they are big wins or small wins, by increasing the number of entries you're getting.

It’s completely free to join, so you're in control of how much you're spending, and you choose the syndicates you join, and the prizes you're hoping for. You can even opt in to international lotteries to increase your chances of a win even further.

Current unclaimed National Lottery prizes

EuroMillions - £321,840.60

A EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed. The draw in question took place on November 19, and the lucky ticket holder has until May 18, 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in the Winchester area.

EuroMillions - £1m

A millionaire is yet to come forward. The draw in question took place on December 27, and the lucky ticket holder has until June 25, 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in Wiltshire.

EuroMillions - £106,738.50

A third EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed following the draw on January 14. The lucky winner has until July 13, 2025, to claim their prize. The ticket was purchased in the London Borough of Barnet.

EuroMillions - £1m

A fourth EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed. The draw in question took place on February 14, and the lucky ticket holder has until August 13, 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in Liverpool.

Thunderball - £500,000

Aside from unclaimed EuroMillions winnings, a Thunderball ticket is also out there somewhere. The lucky holder’s number came up during the April 8 draw, after they purchased a ticket in Stratford-upon-Avon. They have until October 5 to claim.

Think you might be sitting on a winning ticket - or have a lucky story to share? You can now tell us about it through YourWorld at yourworld.net/submit. It’s free to use, and once reviewed, your story could appear on our website or even in our newspapers.