Lottery unclaimed prizes: unclaimed tickets news, where were they bought, results - how to claim winnings

• Significant sums from the UK National Lottery remain unclaimed
• Some winners may be unaware of their good fortune
• Lottery winners have 180 days to claim their prize
• Prizes up to £50,000 can be claimed in store or online, while larger amounts require contacting the National Lottery directly
• Even if a ticket is damaged or destroyed, a valid claim may still be possible
• Notable unclaimed prizes include £1m Euromillions tickets and a £500,000 Thunderball ticket

Winning the National Lottery jackpot is a dream for many, but what if you've already won and don't know it?

In the UK, substantial amounts of money from the National Lottery remain unclaimed, and despite having a six-month period to collect their winnings, some lucky winning-ticket holders have yet to step forward.

Perhaps they are unaware of their windfall, with winning tickets possibly stashed away in wallets, purses or online accounts. But could you be holding onto a winning ticket? Below, we’ve listed the current unclaimed prizes...

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.

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.

Don't let your potential winnings slip away! Check your tickets today by visiting the National Lottery's website to see if you could be one of the lucky winners. Your fortune might be just a few clicks away...