Don’t Forget That Ticket: You Could Be a Winner

Forgotten tickets happen more often than you’d think — stuffed in a coat pocket, lost in a junk drawer, or hiding in an unread email. And while life goes on, those winnings just sit there… waiting for someone to claim them.

Before you toss anything out, double-check your tickets. One overlooked slip could be the game-changer you didn’t see coming.

How long do winners have to claim?

You get 180 days — roughly six months — from the draw date to claim any National Lottery prize. Miss the deadline and the cash (plus any interest it earned) gets redirected to National Lottery–funded community projects across the UK.

Where and how to claim

A few quick pointers:

• £500 or less: Walk into any authorised retailer and claim it on the spot.

• £500 to £50,000: Claims can be made online.

• Over £50,000 or Set For Life prizes: Call the National Lottery to arrange the payout.

• Damaged or destroyed ticket? You can still appeal — but you must do it within 30 days of the draw.

Want better odds? Try this.

Winning big isn’t easy — the odds are what they are. But you can stretch your chances without emptying your wallet. One of the smartest moves? Joining a lottery syndicate.

Pooling tickets with others boosts your overall odds. Sure, you’ll split the pot… but if the jackpot hits £100 million, sharing suddenly doesn’t feel like much of a problem.