Unclaimed Lottery prizes: National Lottery UK tickets and winnings remain unclaimed - Lotto, Euromillions news

• Millions of pounds in unclaimed National Lottery prizes are waiting to be claimed
• Winners have up to 180 days to claim their prize
• Unclaimed tickets could be hidden in wallets, bags, or forgotten online accounts
• Joining lottery syndicates, like Lotto Social, can increase your chances of winning
• Check the list of unclaimed tickets below - you might already be a winner!

Millions dream of winning the National Lottery jackpot, but what if you’re already a winner and don’t even know it?

It may come as a surprise, but unclaimed lottery prizes are more common than you might think. While winners typically have up to six months to claim their prize, countless winning tickets go unnoticed.

That life-changing ticket could be hiding in your wallet, stashed in a bag, or forgotten in an online account. Check the list below - you could be holding the key to a fortune!

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 a valid claim is not received within this timeframe, the money and any interest earned on it goes to National Lottery Projects across the UK.

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.

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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 tickets:

Euromillions - £1m

A Millionaire Maker winner is out there, with this winning ticket having been drawn on 3 September.

The ticket holder - who purchased their ticket in the London Borough of Lambeth - needs to claim it by 2 March 2025.

Euromillions - £1m

A second would-be millionaire is yet to come forward. The draw in question took place on 4 October, and the lucky ticket holder has until 2 April 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.

Euromillions - £1m

A third would-be millionaire is still ‘at large’. The draw in question took place on 18 October, and the lucky ticket holder has until 16 April 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in the Swansea area.

Euromillions - £1m

A fourth Euromillions ticket is out there. The draw in question took place on 5 November, and the lucky ticket holder has until 4 May 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in the Thanet area.

Euromillions - £1m

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

Euromillions - £1m

A sixth and final Euromillions ticket remains unclaimed. The draw in question took place on 6 December, and the lucky ticket holder has until 4 June 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Lotto - £1m

More millionaires await, this time through the more traditional ‘Lotto’ arm of the National Lottery’s games. The first unclaimed ticket was drawn on 7 December, with the numbers 9, 12, 14, 26, 35, 42 (Bonus 18), and was purchased in Sefton.

The lucky ticket holder has until 5 June 2025 to come forward.

Lotto - £1m

The second Lotto millionaire bought their ticket in Buckinghamshire, for the draw that took place on 14 December.

The unclaimed ticket won with the numbers 1, 11, 12, 17, 19, 54 (Bonus 3), and the holder has until 12 June 2025 to come forward.

Set For Life - £10,000 every month for 30 years

A Match 5 + Life Ball prize ticket with the numbers 2, 11, 29, 37, 45 (Life Ball 6) was drawn on 24 October and purchased in Sevenoaks. The ticket holder has until 22 April 2025 to claim their prize.

Have you ever won a lottery prize or know someone who has? Or maybe you’re part of a syndicate and have tips to share! We’d love to hear your stories, experiences, and thoughts. Share them in the comments section.