Unclaimed lottery prizes: National Lottery unclaimed tickets, EuroMillions winnings - UK Lotto jackpot news

• Winning lottery tickets often go unnoticed in wallets, cars, or online accounts
• Winners have 180 days from the draw date to collect their prize before the money is donated
• Smaller prizes can be claimed in stores, while larger wins require online or phone verification
• Joining a lottery syndicate increases your odds of winning without spending more
• Several big prizes, including a £1m EuroMillions win, are still unclaimed!

Unclaimed National Lottery prizes are surprisingly common, with winning tickets often forgotten in wallets, bags, or online accounts before their owners realise their stroke of luck.

In fact, a life-changing ticket could be sitting in your jacket pocket, stashed in your car’s glovebox, or buried in an old email right now.

With plenty of unclaimed prizes still waiting, it’s worth checking the list below - you might 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.

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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.

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.

EuroMillions - £321,840.60

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

EuroMillions - £1m

A millionaire is yet to come forward. The draw in question took place on December 27, and the lucky ticket holder has until June 25, 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in Wiltshire.

EuroMillions - £137,981.30

A third EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed. The draw in question took place on December 31, and the lucky ticket holder has until May 29, 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in the District of Huntingdonshire.

EuroMillions - £106,738.50

A fourth EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed following the draw on January 14. The lucky winner has until July 13, 2025, to claim their prize. The ticket was purchased in the London Borough of Barnet.

EuroMillions - £1m

A fifth EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed. The draw in question took place on February 14, and the lucky ticket holder has until August 13, 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in Liverpool.

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.

Set For Life - £10,000 every month for 1 year

A second Match 5 + Life Ball prize ticket with the numbers 5, 8, 21, 26, 37 (Life Ball 1) was drawn on February 20 and purchased in The Vale of Glamorgan. The ticket holder has until August 19, 2025 to claim their prize.

Have you ever forgotten to check a lottery ticket, or do you have a lucky routine for picking numbers? Share your stories, tips, or even your dream jackpot plans in the comments section.