Jackpot Goes Unclaimed as Lotto Prizes Boosted for Over a Million Players
Saturday night's National Lottery Lotto draw on May 17, 2025, delivered a mix of excitement and disappointment. The winning numbers—18, 24, 34, 35, 47, and 51, with the bonus ball 26—were drawn using ball set 7 and machine Lancelot. While the National Lottery had dangled a hefty £11,343,776 jackpot, nobody managed to nail all six main numbers. That meant the grand prize rolled down, supercharging payouts for lower-tier winners and adding extra buzz to the night.
Here's how the prizes shook out: there was one standout winner who matched five numbers plus the bonus, scoring a hefty haul of £1,165,535. Just missing out on the full jackpot, that's a life-changing chunk of cash for a single ticket. Next down the ladder, 59 players matched five numbers, with each banking £6,426. Match four, and you've got 4,826 players pocketing £220 each—a nice little bonus for a Saturday night, if not quite new-car money.
The biggest share of winners, as usual, came in the lower tiers. Each of the 116,035 tickets that matched three numbers netted £70, which is enough to cover a big night out or a small splurge. Meanwhile, 1,165,187 lucky folks matched two numbers, grabbing £5 and a free Lotto ticket for their trouble. All in all, that's a staggering 1,286,108 winners raking in a total prize fund of £16,554,774. Not bad for a single drawing.
What Happens Next and How to Claim Your Prize
Anyone holding a winning ticket has until November 13, 2025, to claim their share. Don't shove your ticket in a drawer and forget it—miss the deadline, and the money goes elsewhere. Thankfully, checking if your numbers came up is a breeze these days. Just scan the ticket with the National Lottery app or log on to the website. It's a simple way to avoid missing out, especially given how much cash rolled down to boost every prize except the jackpot.
Missed this draw? There’s always another shot. The next Lotto event will once again use ball set 7 and machine Lancelot—maybe these will be lucky for you. And if you walked away empty-handed this round, take comfort: the rolldown meant more people got bigger payouts than usual. Just remember, always play responsibly. A fiver and a free ticket can make your day, but know your limits—lotto is all about fun, not guarantees.
So, dig out those tickets, double-check your numbers, and see if Lady Luck paid you a little visit this time around.
