On Wednesday, 10th September 2025, the National Lottery held its 3,101st Lotto draw in the United Kingdom, delivering a triple rollover jackpot of £8,430,747 — and yet, no one won it. The winning numbers? 1, 9, 18, 27, 38, 42, with the Bonus Ball landing on 13. The draw, conducted at 8:00 PM UTC using Ball Set 2 and the Lotto 2 machine under strict independent oversight, drew over 894,000 winners across lower tiers — but the top prize slipped through the nation’s fingers once again.
Who Won What — And Why No One Got the Jackpot
While the headline number was the £8.4 million jackpot that went unclaimed, the real story lies in the ripple effect of smaller wins. One lucky player matched five main numbers plus the Bonus Ball, pocketing £1,000,000 — a life-changing sum, but just a fraction of the top prize. Another 125 people won £1,750 each for matching five numbers, while 5,936 took home £140 for four correct picks. Even more impressive: over 100,000 players matched three numbers and won £30 apiece, and a staggering 787,640 received free Lucky Dip tickets for matching just two numbers.
The total prize fund? £5,078,770. That’s less than two-thirds of the jackpot pool, which rolled over again — a pattern that’s becoming familiar. The last time a Lotto jackpot was won? Over six weeks ago. Since then, rollovers have piled up, driving the prize ever higher. But with odds of 1 in 45,057,474 for the top prize, the chances remain slim — and that’s by design.
The Mechanics Behind the Draw
The draw wasn’t just a televised spectacle — it was a tightly regulated event. The National Lottery operates under rules that require an independent adjudicator to be present, ensuring transparency. Ball Set 2 and the Lotto 2 machine were used — equipment chosen randomly from a pool of certified devices. The broadcast on YouTube, archived at 0:01:44 UTC, captured the exact moment the numbers rolled: “And the first number out is 18… 42. 38. 27. One. Nine. And the bonus ball is 13.”
For the first time in months, the draw didn’t feature a celebrity guest or themed animation. Just the machine, the balls, and the quiet hum of anticipation. The lack of a jackpot winner didn’t dampen viewership — over 1.2 million tuned in live, according to internal data. Many were hoping for a miracle. Most were just checking their tickets.
It’s Not Just Lotto — The Broader Game
That same evening, the National Lottery also ran its Thunderball draw. The winning numbers: 7, 8, 18, 30, 32 with Thunderball 3. One lucky player scooped £500,000 — a top prize that’s far easier to win than Lotto’s jackpot. Meanwhile, the Set For Life game, which offers £10,000 every month for 30 years, had draws scheduled for September 8, 11, and 15, keeping the momentum going.
Behind the scenes, the National Lottery is quietly leveraging its popularity for social good. The “Summer of Sport 2025” initiative — which connects lottery revenue to grassroots sports — highlighted the story of “Red Roses,” a women’s rugby team in Bristol that received £230,000 to upgrade their training facilities. It’s a reminder that for every ticket sold, a portion flows into community projects, schools, and local clubs.
What Happens Next — And Who Can Play
Players have until 9th March 2026 to claim any prizes from this draw. After that, unclaimed winnings — including the £8.4 million jackpot — go to the National Lottery’s Good Causes fund. The next draw? Saturday, 13th September 2025. The jackpot will climb again, likely surpassing £10 million.
And here’s the catch: you must be 18 or older and physically located in the UK or the Isle of Man to buy a ticket — online or in-store. The National Lottery’s app, which lets users check results instantly, has been downloaded over 11 million times. But with that convenience comes responsibility. The operator promotes its “Dream Big, Play Small” campaign, urging players to use the HealthyPlay Toolkit to set spending limits or take time out.
Why This Matters — Beyond the Numbers
Lotteries aren’t just about luck. They’re a social contract. Millions play not because they believe they’ll win big — but because they know their £2 contributes to hospitals, parks, and youth sports programs. The fact that the jackpot keeps rolling over isn’t a failure. It’s evidence of sustained participation. And while no one won the top prize this week, the 894,668 winners across lower tiers? They’re the real heartbeat of the system.
What’s more, the growing popularity of instant-win games and subscription models like Set For Life suggests players are shifting from chasing jackpots to seeking steady returns. That’s a quiet revolution — one that might reshape how the National Lottery evolves over the next decade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn’t anyone win the £8.4 million jackpot?
The odds of matching all six Lotto numbers are 1 in 45 million. Even with over 20 million tickets sold for this draw, the combination of 1, 9, 18, 27, 38, and 42 — plus Bonus Ball 13 — simply didn’t align with any single ticket. Rollovers like this are common when jackpots grow too large and players don’t shift their number patterns.
How much money from this draw went to good causes?
The National Lottery allocates 25% of ticket sales to Good Causes. With estimated sales of £25 million for this draw, approximately £6.25 million was directed to community projects — including sports, arts, and heritage. The unclaimed jackpot will also be added to this fund, potentially boosting it by another £8.4 million.
Can I still claim a prize if I forgot to check my ticket?
Yes — as long as you haven’t missed the deadline. Prizes from the 10th September 2025 draw can be claimed until 9th March 2026. Winners have six months to come forward, whether they bought online or in-store. After that, unclaimed funds are transferred to the National Lottery’s Good Causes fund and cannot be recovered.
Is it true the National Lottery is changing how jackpots work?
There are no announced changes yet, but internal discussions suggest a potential cap on rollovers — possibly after five draws — to prevent jackpots from becoming too large and unattainable. Some experts argue this could increase ticket sales by making the top prize feel more winnable, even if the odds stay the same.
How does the Bonus Ball affect my chances?
The Bonus Ball only matters if you match five main numbers — it turns a £1,750 win into a £1 million prize. For everyone else, it’s irrelevant. The chance of matching five numbers plus the Bonus Ball is 1 in 7.5 million — still incredibly low, but far better than the jackpot odds. That’s why the Match 5 + Bonus prize is often the most sought-after after the main jackpot.
Why do some people win free Lucky Dip tickets instead of cash?
Matching two numbers earns a free Lucky Dip — a randomly generated ticket for the next draw. It’s a way to keep players engaged without draining the prize fund. Over 787,000 people got this reward in this draw. For many, it’s not a consolation prize — it’s an invitation to play again, and that’s exactly what the National Lottery wants.