National Lottery unclaimed prizes: latest unclaimed UK tickets, winnings, results news - where was it bought?

• Many National Lottery prizes in the UK go unclaimed, with a surprising number still waiting to be claimed
• Winners have a six-month window from the draw date to claim their prizes, or the funds will go to National Lottery Projects
• Prize claims vary by amount: up to £500 can be claimed in store, prizes over £500 to £50,000 online, and amounts above £50,000 require a phone call
• Damaged or destroyed tickets may still be valid for claims if reported within 30 days of the draw
• If you think you might have a winning ticket, check the current unclaimed prize list to see if you could be holding a fortune

For many, hitting the National Lottery jackpot is the ultimate dream. But what if you’ve already won and don’t even know it?

In the UK, a surprising number of National Lottery prizes go unclaimed, and even though winners have a six-month window to come forward, some fortunate ticket holders still haven’t claimed their prizes.

You might not realise you’re holding a winning ticket—perhaps it’s hiding in a wallet, purse, or online account. Check out the list below to see if you could be one of the lucky ones with an unclaimed prize...

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.

How can National Lottery winnings be claimed?

Prize winnings of £500 and under can be claimed in store from a National Lottery retailer. 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.

Current unclaimed National Lottery tickets:

Euromillions - £1m

A UK Millionaire Maker winner is out there somewhere, drawn on 23 February 2024. The ticket holder - who purchased their ticket in the London Borough of Camden - needs to claim it by 21 August.

Euromillions - £1m

A second UK Millionaire Maker winner is out there too, with this winning ticket drawn relatively recently on 16 April. The ticket holder - who purchased their ticket in Rhondda Cynon Taf - needs to claim it by 13 October.

Euromillions - £196,646.70

It’s not quite a million pounds, but just under £200,000 will do nicely for this Cumberland ticket holder who picked out 6, 7, 9, 14, 43 (Lucky Stars 3, 4) as the winning numbers for the draw on 6 June. They have until 1 December to collect.

Lotto HotPicks - £350,000

A resident from the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames is sitting on over a quarter of a million pounds, with the winning numbers 6, 28, 30, 40, 53, 58 being drawn on 25 May. They have until 21 November to claim their winnings.

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

A lucky Match 5 winner with the numbers 10, 18, 24, 27, 38 - Life Ball 5 has until 17 December to claim. The date of the draw was 20 June, and the winning ticket was bought in the Unitary Authority of Medway.

Thunderball - £500,000

Half a million pounds awaits for one lucky resident of the London Borough of Islington, who recently plucked 9, 21, 31, 35, 36 (Thunderball 9) as their fortunate numbers, drawn on 1 June. They have until 28 November to claim the cash.

Think you might have a winning ticket? Don’t wait to check - review the unclaimed prizes now and see if you’re one of the lucky ones! If you find a potential winner or have any stories to share about your lottery experiences, drop a comment.