Lost Lottery Tickets

It is important to be aware that the National Lottery is under no obligation to pay out on any ticket that has been lost; however, there is a chance that they will consider appeals as long as they are lodged within 30 days of the relevant draw.

If you still have your ticket, but are worried that it isn't redeemable due to its condition, visit the Damaged Tickets page for advice.

Can you claim a prize without a ticket?

When you purchase a lottery ticket, it is your only proof of entry into the draw. So if it goes missing, you will not be able to claim any winnings from retailers or Post Offices.

The only option is to make an appeal to the National Lottery. To do this, you will need to provide as much of the following information as possible:

The where, when and at what time the ticket was purchased.
The name of the game you played e.g. Lotto or Thunderball
Which draw date the ticket was valid for
The date you believe any prize was won
How many entries you purchased and the numbers included in each
When you think the ticket was lost. You will need to include whether it was stolen or simply misplaced

Once you have filled in these details, you can send your request via email or post:

Postal Address

Player Services Department
The National Lottery
PO Box 287
Watford
WD18 9TT

Email Address

lostticketnotice@national-lottery.co.uk

Security

To avoid this situation in the future, you may want to consider playing online, where your numbers will be automatically stored in your online account, eliminating the possibility of a winning entry getting misplaced or stolen.

Another way to protect yourself against theft is to write your address and signature on the back of any tickets you purchase. This way, if they were to be stolen, the perpetrator would not be able to claim any winnings as their own.

I've Found a Ticket

If you find a lottery ticket for a draw that is still valid, but lacks an address or name on the back of the ticket, you need to send it to the National Lottery offices at the following address:

The National Lottery
PO Box 287
Watford
WD18 9TT

You will need to include a letter with your name, address and contact information, when and where you found the ticket as well as any attempts you have made to return it to the rightful owner. If the ticket you found matches a loss claim submitted to Allwyn, then you’ll have helped someone avoid missing out on their win!