UK National Lottery Calculator

Calculate UK Lotto odds and expected value

Formula:Odds = C(59,6) = 45,057,474

Current Jackpot

Enter the UK Lotto jackpot amount

Current UK Lotto jackpot

£2 per line

UK Lotto Odds

Your chances of winning

Jackpot Odds
1 in 45.1M
45,057,474 total combinations
Probability: 2.22 in 1M

Any Prize Odds

1 in 9.3

Expected Value

£-1.78

House Edge

88.9%

Tax on Winnings

0% (Tax Free)

All Prize Tiers

Prize TierOddsPrize
Match 6 (Jackpot)1 in 45.1M£10M
Match 5 + Bonus1 in 7.5M£1,000,000
Match 51 in 144.4K£1,750
Match 41 in 2.2K£140
Match 31 in 97£30
Match 21 in 10Free Lucky Dip

vs Other UK Games

UK Lotto
1 in 45M
EuroMillions
1 in 140M
Set For Life
1 in 15.3M
Tax-Free Winnings: Unlike many countries, UK lottery prizes are completely tax-free. You keep 100% of your winnings with no deductions.

Common Jackpot Scenarios

Load typical UK Lotto jackpots

Quick Answer

TL;DR summary

UK National Lottery (Lotto) jackpot odds are 1 in 45,057,474. You pick 6 numbers from 1-59. The calculation is C(59,6) = 59!/(6!×53!) = 45,057,474. While significantly better than EuroMillions (1 in 140M), you're still more likely to become an astronaut or die from a lightning strike than win the jackpot.

Key Facts About UK Lotto

Important things to know

  • UK Lotto jackpot odds: 1 in 45,057,474 (6 from 59)
  • Overall odds of any prize: 1 in 9.3
  • Ticket price: £2 per line
  • Draws: Wednesday and Saturday at 7:45pm GMT
  • No tax on UK lottery winnings
  • Must Be Won: After 5 rollovers, jackpot must be won
  • Set For Life alternative: £10,000/month for 30 years

Frequently Asked Questions

Common UK Lotto questions

How does the UK Lotto work?

Pick 6 numbers from 1-59. Match all 6 to win the jackpot. A bonus ball is drawn for the Match 5 + Bonus tier. Draws are Wednesday and Saturday evenings. You can add a Millionaire Maker raffle for a chance at £1 million.

Are UK lottery winnings taxed?

No, UK lottery winnings are completely tax-free. However, any interest or investment returns on your winnings are taxable as normal income or capital gains.

What is a Must Be Won draw?

After 5 consecutive rollovers without a jackpot winner, the next draw is Must Be Won. If no one matches all 6 numbers, the jackpot rolls down and is shared among lower tier winners.

How long do I have to claim a prize?

You have 180 days from the draw date to claim prizes. Unclaimed prizes go to the National Lottery Good Causes fund. Always sign the back of paper tickets and check them promptly.

What happened to the old 6/49 format?

The UK Lotto changed from 6/49 to 6/59 in October 2015. This made jackpot odds about 4× harder (from 1 in 14 million to 1 in 45 million) but introduced a guaranteed raffle millionaire each draw.