The National Lottery is preparing for a significant digital transformation, which will require its online platforms to be taken offline for approximately 24 hours this coming weekend.
When and Where the Downtime Will Happen
The national-lottery.co.uk website and the official iOS and Android apps will be inaccessible from 11pm on Saturday, January 24, 2026, until the end of Sunday, January 25. This planned outage is to facilitate what operator Allwyn describes as a "major upgrade" to its systems. Players will be able to use the online services as normal until the shutdown begins at 11pm on Saturday.
How to Play and Check Results During the Outage
Despite the digital blackout, the weekend's Lotto and Thunderball draws will proceed as scheduled from 8pm on Saturday. Players will still have the option to purchase physical tickets at any of The National Lottery's 43,500 retail outlets across the country.
For those eager to see results, prize breakdowns will be published on YouTube and will be available in-store. Winnings from retail tickets valued at up to £500 can be claimed in shops as usual during the downtime.
What Changes to Expect After the Upgrade
Allwyn has stated that players will encounter several modifications once services resume. These will include a new payment screen and streamlined processes for checking results, playing games, and claiming prizes. The company promises the new digital channels will offer the largest ever range of National Lottery games alongside improved player protection tools and a refreshed design.
Key safety enhancements being introduced include mandatory personal deposit and spend limits for all new customers, automatic logouts after 60 minutes of inactivity, and regular "reality checks" for instant game players. App users with auto-updates enabled will receive the new version automatically.
This upgrade represents the next phase in Allwyn's transformation journey, which involves migrating the accounts of 11.8 million active registered players to a new platform. Allwyn CEO Andria Vidler said the work marks a milestone in efforts to make The National Lottery more player-focused and supports the ambitious goal of doubling weekly returns to Good Causes to £60 million by 2034.
This follows a similar 36-hour pause for a technology upgrade in July of the previous year, which was the largest in the lottery's 31-year history.
