Imagine waking up £69 million richer. That's the tantalising prospect of tonight's EuroMillions draw, a regular event that has turned ordinary UK ticket holders into some of the country's wealthiest people overnight. But what exactly is EuroMillions, how does it work, and why does it matter to you?
EuroMillions is a transnational lottery game played across nine European countries, including the UK. Draws take place every Tuesday and Friday evening, with tickets costing £2.50 each. To play, you choose five main numbers from 1 to 50 and two Lucky Star numbers from 1 to 12. Alternatively, you can opt for a Lucky Dip, where numbers are randomly selected for you. The jackpot is won by matching all seven numbers, and if no one wins, the prize rolls over to the next draw. The maximum jackpot is capped at €190 million (roughly £167 million).
“Everything you need to know about the EuroMillions lottery draw, including how to play, odds, and the biggest UK winners.”
Alongside the main EuroMillions draw, UK players are automatically entered into the Millionaire Maker draw, which guarantees a £1 million winner in every draw. There is also a separate game called Thunderball, which offers a fixed top prize of £500,000; to win, you must match five main numbers from 1 to 39 plus the Thunderball number. Thunderball draws take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.
The history of EuroMillions in the UK is dotted with mega wins. The biggest UK winner so far is an anonymous ticketholder who claimed £195 million in July 2022, breaking the previous record set just two months earlier by Joe and Jess Thwaite from Gloucester, who won £184 million with a Lucky Dip ticket in May 2022. Before them, a £170 million jackpot was won anonymously in October 2019. Other notable wins include £123 million in June 2019, £117.1 million in June 2023, and £111 million in June 2021. These life-changing sums can instantly make winners as rich as celebrities like E. L. James (worth £127 million) or Jimmy Page (£125 million).
For UK readers, the EuroMillions is not just about the chance of a jackpot. Playing the National Lottery also raises around £30 million each week for good causes across the UK, funding projects in areas such as sport, arts, heritage, and community initiatives. That means even if your numbers don't come up, your ticket contributes to public benefit. However, the odds of winning the jackpot are extremely long — you have to match all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars. According to National Lottery rules, anyone matching even two numbers with one Lucky Star or better wins a prize.
Q: How do I play EuroMillions and what are the odds? To play, choose five numbers from 1–50 and two Lucky Stars from 1–12, or take a Lucky Dip. Tickets cost £2.50 and include automatic entry into the UK Millionaire Maker draw. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 139,838,160, though smaller prizes have better odds.
Q: What happens if I win the EuroMillions jackpot? If you win the jackpot, you can choose to remain anonymous or go public. Many winners opt for privacy; for example, the £195 million winner in July 2022 has not been publicly named. You can also set up a trust or appoint a representative to claim the prize. The National Lottery advises winners to take financial and legal advice before coming forward.
Q: How does the Thunderball draw work? Thunderball is a separate lottery with a fixed top prize of £500,000. To win the jackpot, you must match five main numbers from 1 to 39 plus the Thunderball number from 1 to 14. Draws take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Tickets cost £1 per line.
What happens next? The Friday draw numbers have already been announced for tonight: the EuroMillions winning numbers were 2, 12, 17, 25, 39 and the Thunderball numbers were 15, 17, 20, 24, 31 with Thunderball 13. The next EuroMillions draw will be on Tuesday, and the jackpot will either have been won or will roll over. For players, the cycle continues: a new chance to dream, and for good causes, another week of funding.