National Lottery players will experience a temporary disruption in ticket purchases and prize claims starting this Saturday night until Monday morning due to a significant system upgrade by Allwyn, the National Lottery operator. The pause will commence at 11 pm after the Lotto and Thunderball draws on Saturday and will extend until late Monday morning.
During this period, both the National Lottery website, app, and retail outlets will be affected, preventing the purchase of lottery tickets from local shops. However, scratchcards will still be available for purchase. National Lottery results can be checked until the system goes offline. Allwyn announced that this upgrade will be the most substantial since the National Lottery’s launch in 1994.
The changes will include a revamped appearance for The National Lottery in 43,500 UK shops, as well as directly depositing retail prizes into players’ bank accounts instead of issuing checks. Winners will be required to complete an online claim form, upload an image of their winning ticket, and provide their bank account details via email.
New gameplay options will be introduced, such as home delivery and utilizing Aldi self-checkouts. Additionally, over 200 new instant games will be available. Allwyn’s CEO, Andria Vidler, emphasized the transformational nature of these upgrades, aiming to enhance the National Lottery’s offerings and contributions to Good Causes.
Allwyn took over the National Lottery operation from Camelot in 2024, marking a transition from Camelot’s management since the lottery’s inception in 1994. Allwyn Entertainment is owned by Czech energy billionaire Karel Komarek and operates across various European countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, and Italy.