By Alex Nelson

Copyright scotsman

Millions in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed each year.Winning tickets are often forgotten or lostWinners have 180 days to claim most prizesSyndicates can boost your chances of winningSeveral big prizes, including £1m jackpots, are still unclaimed

Every year, millions in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed — not because the money vanishes, but because winners don’t realise they’ve won.

Life-changing tickets are often forgotten: tucked in a coat pocket, slipped between sofa cushions, or lost in an unopened email. Meanwhile, the fortune remains unnoticed by its owner.

But one of those unclaimed jackpots could be yours. With several big prizes still waiting, even a single overlooked ticket might change your life. Take a moment to check the list below.

How long do National Lottery winners have to claim their prize?

Winning lottery ticket holders have 180 days (approximately six months) from the draw date to claim the prize.

If no valid claim is made within the deadline, the prize money – along with any interest it accrues – goes towards funding National Lottery Projects across the UK.

How can National Lottery winnings be claimed?

Prize winnings of £500 and under can be claimed in store from a National Lottery retailer – that is, an authorised store or outlet where you can purchase lottery tickets, like newsagents, supermarkets, and petrol stations.

Prizes over £500 and up to and including £50,000 can be claimed online. For prizes over £50,000, and monthly prize winnings (Set For Life), winning ticket holders should call the National Lottery on 0333 234 50 50 to confirm and arrange the winning claim.

If your ticket has been damaged or destroyed, you still may be able to make a valid claim, however, an appeal should be filed within 30 days of the draw date.

Details on the information you would need to provide can be found on the National Lottery website.

How to increase your chances of winning the lottery

Let’s be honest: hitting the jackpot isn’t easy. The odds are slim, but there are ways to improve your chances and spend less money while pursuing that life-changing prize.

Lottery syndicates have been popular for as long as the draws themselves – and for good reason. By pooling resources with others, you can boost your odds of winning.

Sure, you’ll have to share the prize, but when it’s a £100 million EuroMillions jackpot, does that really matter?

This is the clever ethos behind Lotto Social, an online syndicate anyone can join in. Not everyone will have a syndicate at work, or in a pub, or a sports club, so this opens the opportunities up to the wider public.

With its simple online platform, Lotto Social unlocks far more opportunities for wins, whether they are big wins or small wins, by increasing the number of entries you’re getting.

It’s completely free to join, so you’re in control of how much you’re spending, and you choose the syndicates you join, and the prizes you’re hoping for. You can even opt in to international lotteries to increase your chances of a win even further.

At a glance: How to increase your chances of winning the lottery 💷

Current unclaimed National Lottery prizes

Lotto – £1m

Someone became a millionaire in the May 24 Lotto draw with the numbers 9, 12, 13, 26, 38, 40, (Bonus 4) — but they haven’t come forward yet. The winning ticket was bought in Birmingham, and the prize must be claimed by November 20.

EuroMillions – £1m

A EuroMillions prize from the August 15 draw is still unclaimed. The winning ticket was bought in Birmingham, and the lucky ticket-holder has until February 11, 2026 to come forward and claim their prize.

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