New Lotto rules: what changed on 10 June 2026
UK Lotto now runs two separate draws every Wednesday and Saturday instead of one. A single £2 line is automatically entered in both. Two different machines draw two different sets of six numbers plus a bonus ball, and the same line can win in Round 1, in Round 2, or in both. Latest results: UK Lotto draws · Number stats: UK Lotto statistics.
Important
You get more chances to win something, but the smaller prizes were reduced to fund the second draw. More frequent wins does not mean better value — Lotto remains negative in expected value.
The two rounds, in practice
| Before 10 June 2026 | Since 10 June 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Draws per evening | 1 | 2 (Round 1 and Round 2) |
| Draws per week | 2 | 4 |
| Ticket price | £2 per line | £2 per line — unchanged |
| Lines to enter both rounds | — | One. Your line is entered automatically |
You do not pick different numbers for each round, and you do not pay twice. The same six numbers are checked against both draws.
Because each round is drawn independently, the two sets of winning numbers can overlap by chance — that is normal, not an error.
The new prize table
The new prize tableEach round is still a standard 6-from-59 draw, so the odds of hitting a given tier in one round are unchanged. What changed are the amounts for the lower tiers.
| Tier | Match | Odds (per round) | Prize before | Prize now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 main numbers | 1 in 45,057,474 | Jackpot | Jackpot, shared across both rounds |
| 2 | 5 main + bonus ball | 1 in 7,509,579 | £1,000,000 | £1,000,000 |
| 3 | 5 main numbers | 1 in 144,415 | ~£1,750 | ~£1,000 |
| 4 | 4 main numbers | 1 in 2,180 | ~£140 | ~£50 |
| 5 | 3 main numbers | 1 in 97 | £30 | £10 |
| 6 | 2 main numbers | 1 in 10.3 | Free Lucky Dip | £1 |
The two most visible changes: Match 3 dropped from £30 to £10, and Match 2 no longer pays a free ticket — it pays £1 in cash.
Amounts can still vary from one draw to another. For the exact figures of a specific evening, open that draw on UK Lotto draws: Fetix shows the winners and the amount for each tier, for both rounds.
How the shared jackpot works
How the shared jackpot worksThe jackpot is one pot for the evening, not one per round. If a ticket matches all six numbers in Round 1 and another ticket does the same in Round 2, both are jackpot winners and they share the same pot.
This is why a single evening can produce two jackpot-winning tickets without doubling the amount paid out.
Why the overall odds went from 1 in 9.3 to 1 in 4.9
This is the part worth understanding, because it is pure arithmetic rather than a promotional claim.
Your chance of winning any prize in a single round is still about 1 in 9.3. Since your line plays two independent rounds, the chance of winning nothing at all is the chance of missing twice in a row:
- Probability of missing one round: 1 − 1/9.3 ≈ 0.892
- Probability of missing both: 0.892 × 0.892 ≈ 0.797
- Probability of winning at least one prize: 1 − 0.797 ≈ 0.203, i.e. about 1 in 4.9
So the headline figure is accurate — you really are roughly twice as likely to win something. What it does not say is that the something is, on average, smaller than before.
Checking a ticket since the change
Checking a ticket since the changeCheck your line against both sets of numbers, not just the first one published. A line can lose in Round 1 and still win in Round 2, and the two results are announced together.
On Fetix, each evening after 10 June 2026 shows both rounds, and checking your Lotto numbers runs your line against each of them. Any statistics covering a period that spans that date mix two different regimes — one draw per evening before, two after — and the interface flags it.
FAQ
Do I need to buy two tickets to play both rounds?
No. One £2 line is entered in both rounds automatically. There is nothing extra to buy and nothing to tick.
Can the same numbers win twice on the same evening?
Yes. If your line matches a prize tier in Round 1 and in Round 2, you win both prizes.
Are the winning numbers different for each round?
Yes. Two machines draw independently. Some numbers may appear in both rounds purely by chance.
Did the ticket price go up?
No. A line still costs £2.
Are my chances of winning the jackpot better?
Your chance of matching all six in a given round is unchanged, but you now play two rounds per ticket, so your chance of hitting the jackpot at least once on the evening is higher. The jackpot itself is shared between all winners of both rounds.
What happened to the Match 2 free ticket?
It was replaced by a £1 cash prize. You no longer receive a Lucky Dip for the next draw at that tier.
Does this change past statistics?
No. Draws before 10 June 2026 remain single draws. Any analysis covering both periods is comparing two different formats — read frequency figures per draw rather than as raw counts.
Disclaimer
UK Lotto is a game of chance. Rules, odds and prize amounts are set by the operator and can change. Playing more lines or playing both rounds does not make the game profitable in the long run. Fetix does not sell tickets, does not pay prizes, and does not guarantee any winnings. If gambling stops being a game for you, support is available at BeGambleAware.