More than 1.5 million National Lottery players across the UK are being urged to check their online accounts after new figures revealed they have prize money sitting untouched, often without their knowledge. The data, released by Allwyn, the operator of The National Lottery, shows that 1,542,081 players have won prizes online but have not spent or withdrawn the funds. Among them, 130,375 players in Scotland have balances that could reach up to £500.
Unclaimed Prizes Total Over 1.9 Million
In total, more than 1.9 million individual cash prizes remain unclaimed, with an average balance of £3.90 per account. Over 195,000 players have winnings exceeding £10 waiting to be used. The figures cover cash prizes of up to £500 won on National Lottery draw-based games between January 1 and July 5 this year. The money has already been credited to players' online accounts but has not been withdrawn, spent, or used to purchase more tickets.
Allwyn Encourages Players to Log In
Andy Carter, senior winners' adviser at Allwyn, said: "Come on, you've played a game, become a winner and yet not enjoyed your win. It's time to log on and check – it could be you. I love making winners and it always amazes me that some players seem happy to wait to enjoy their win. Whether it's a few pounds or something much larger, it's money that could be spent on a treat, saved for something special or even used to play again. With Lotto making double the number of millionaires this week, this win in your account could turn into a chance to win a million in just a couple of clicks."
Many Players May Have Forgotten Small Wins
Allwyn noted that many players may have simply forgotten about smaller wins left in their accounts after buying tickets online. While the average untouched balance is less than £4, some players have much larger sums waiting. The operator stressed that these figures relate to players with online accounts who have already had winnings credited to their balance, not people with unclaimed prizes or forgotten paper tickets.
Highest Unclaimed Prize Is £500
The highest untouched prize currently sitting in an online account is £500, which is the maximum amount automatically paid into a player's online balance before larger prizes are paid separately. Players can check their balance by logging into their National Lottery online account via the website or app. Any available winnings will be displayed alongside recent transactions and can be withdrawn or used to buy tickets for future draws.
National Lottery's Impact Since 1994
Since The National Lottery launched in 1994, it has awarded players more than £103 billion in prize money and created over 8,000 millionaires. National Lottery players also raise approximately £33 million every week for good causes, with more than £53 billion raised since 1994 to support over 680,000 projects across the UK.
