Saturday’s Lotto Draw ‘Must Be Won’
Last Updated: Wednesday 23rd September 2020, 13:54
The Lotto jackpot has rolled over for a fifth time, making the next draw a special Must Be Won event. The Must Be Won draw is set to take place on Saturday 18th May, and could see you win over £100 for matching three numbers.
The jackpot up for grabs on Saturday 18th May is £11.6 million, having rolled over from £9.2 million on Wednesday 15th. No one has matched all six numbers to win a jackpot prize since Saturday 6th April, meaning this Saturday’s draw could potentially see inflated prize winnings for anyone who matches three numbers or more.
In previous Must Be Won draws, winners of secondary prize tiers have seen huge increases in their winnings, thanks to a jackpot rolldown. On April 27th, a Must Be Won draw saw no one match all six numbers, resulting in an £11.3 million jackpot rolling down to the lower prize tiers. Those who matched three numbers out of six received an extra £79, resulting in a total prize of £109. The Match 5 plus Bonus prize was boosted by over £170,000, meaning two winners of the prize laid claim to a total of more than £1.1 million.
The Must Be Won draw is not the only event to offer bigger Lotto prizes. The National Lottery runs special events throughout the year, giving you higher prizes and even more chances to win. In the Lotto draw on Saturday 4th May, a special ‘Match 3 to win £100’ offer was run; anyone who matched three numbers was eligible for a special prize of £100, instead of the standard £30 prize. There were 97,939 winners in the Match 3 prize tier for that draw, and between them they received a total payout of £9.7 million.
What is a Must Be Won draw?
If no player matches all six numbers in a Lotto draw, the jackpot from that draw will roll over into the next draw. This can happen for up to five consecutive draws. If no player has won the jackpot in five draws, the next draw ‘Must Be Won’. Should no one match all six numbers in a Must Be Won draw, the jackpot prize is rolled down to the lower prize tiers, significantly increasing the amount of money you could win by matching three or more numbers.
This handy table shows how the jackpot is distributed, in the event of no one winning the jackpot:
| Numbers Matched | Fixed Prize in a Regular Draw | Percentage of Jackpot Fund Allocated | Estimated Prize in a Rolldown Draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 + Bonus Ball | £1 million | 3% | £1.2 million |
| 5 | £1,750 | 6% | £10,500 |
| 4 | £140 | 17% | £500 |
| 3 | £30 | 74% | £100 |
If the jackpot is won by someone matching all six numbers, lower prize tiers are unaffected, and remain as advertised.
How to Get Involved
Must Be Won draws operate in just the same way as any other Lotto draw, in terms of both how to play and rules of entry. You just need to pick six main numbers from a pool of 59. A seventh Bonus Ball will also be selected from the same pool on the night. Match the six main numbers with those drawn on a given day, and you win the jackpot. Prizes start with matching two numbers.
Visit an authorised National Lottery retailer to purchase entries to the Saturday draw, or choose your numbers online.