The National Lottery has announced a major new game change set to launch this summer, marking the biggest overhaul since the game began in 1994. The UK's version of the US Powerball game will be introduced, offering players the chance to compete for the world's largest jackpots.
Powerball Launch Details
This summer, the first new draw-based game in National Lottery history will debut. UK players will pay £4 per line to participate alongside their US counterparts in the global Powerball game. Draws take place every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at around 4am UK time, with ticket purchases required by 11:55pm the previous day.
National Lottery operator Allwyn stated: “The completion of the transformation enables the rollout of new commercial initiatives in the United Kingdom, completes the incurrence of transformation-related costs and initiates the recovery phase for these costs. It therefore marks an important inflection point in the financial profile of the business.”
Andria Vidler, CEO of Allwyn UK, commented: “We’re delighted to be joining the Powerball community. Our ambition is to bring more games, more innovation and more excitement to The UK National Lottery – and it doesn’t get more exciting than Powerball, with its transformative jackpots and life-changing contribution to good causes.”
Jackpot and Prizes
Matching all five numbers plus the Powerball wins the jackpot, starting at around £12m, paid out over 30 years. If no one wins, the jackpot rolls over and could reach as high as £1bn. Matching five numbers wins £1m, with smaller prizes including £8 for matching two numbers.
Lotto Changes
In addition to Powerball, Lotto's new format launches this month, giving players two chances to win for every £2 ticket in its main draw for the first time. The change, rolling out from June 7, is expected to more than double the number of Lotto millionaires from around 140 to about 345 per year.
Allwyn has signalled more National Lottery launches to come, stating: “We continue to progress the development and regulatory approval of additional product innovations.”
