National Lottery triggers £9.5m Lotto jackpot rolldown on July 18
A £9.5m Lotto jackpot was distributed among lower-tier winners after no player matched all six main numbers. The rolldown event paid out over £13.2million across nearly two million entries.
National Lottery triggers £9.5m Lotto jackpot rolldown on July 18
The National Lottery triggered a "rolldown" of a £9.559,451 jackpot on Saturday, July 18, after no player managed to match all six main numbers in either of the evening's two draw rounds.
The event followed a "must be won" rule, which is activated after a jackpot has rolled over five times. Under these regulations, if no one wins the top prize, the funds are distributed among players in lower winning tiers rather than rolling over to a future draw.
The National Lottery explained:
"In a Lotto Must Be Won draw where no one wins the jackpot by matching six main numbers, there’s a Rolldown. This means the jackpot is shared by players matching two or more main numbers, so thousands can expect to win a boosted cash prize!"
National Lottery, via Manchester Evening News
As a result of the rolldown, more than £13.2million was paid out across 1,932,847 winning entries. While no one matched six numbers or five numbers plus the Bonus Ball, 87 people who matched five numbers received the highest individual prize of £1,000.
Other beneficiaries of the boosted prizes included 169,438 players who matched three numbers and received £24 instead of the usual £10. Additionally, 1,756,390 players who matched two numbers won £5 instead of £1. A further 6,932 players matched four numbers to win £50 each.
Winning Numbers and Game Formats
The Lotto draw, which took place at 8pm, utilizes a format introduced on June 7 where players are entered into two separate rounds using a single ticket. In this system, two sets of six main numbers and a bonus ball are drawn from two separate machines, providing players two chances to win from one line of numbers.
The winning numbers for the July 18 draw were:
| Round | Main Numbers | Bonus Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 22, 32, 34, 47, 52, 55 | 10 |
| Round 2 | 20, 29, 30, 42, 46, 55 | 38 |
Separate from the Lotto, the Thunderball draw occurred at 8.15pm with a top prize of £500,000. No player matched all five numbers and the Thunderball to claim the jackpot. One player did match five numbers to win £5,000, while another 127,425 players won prizes ranging from £3 to £250, totaling £726,892. The winning Thunderball numbers were 3, 6, 19, 25, 36, with the Thunderball being 6.
Business and Future Launches
Lotto tickets cost £2 per play, and the game helps raise approximately £30m each week for good causes across the UK. The National Lottery also manages other weekly draws, including EuroMillions on Tuesdays and Fridays, and Set For Life on Mondays and Thursdays.
The organization is preparing to launch a new game, Powerball, on Tuesday, July 21. This game will feature jackpots starting at £12million, with the potential to reach £1billion and beyond. Powerball tickets will cost £4 and will be available via stores, the National Lottery app, and online. Winners who match five main numbers and the Powerball will receive their prize as an annuity paid over 30 years, while matching five main numbers without the Powerball will award a fixed £1million prize.
Players who hold winning tickets are reminded that they have 180 days from the date of the draw to claim their prizes.
