Thunderball Set For First Tuesday Draw

Updated: Monday 29th January 2018

Thunderball players will be able to take part in the game on a Tuesday night from now on after the National Lottery launched a fourth weekly draw. Find out why the extra game has been introduced and why you should play Thunderball.

Four Draws A Week

Thunderball started in 1999 and originally took place just once a week on a Saturday. A Wednesday draw was added in 2002 and a Friday game was introduced eight years later. From 30th January, it can now be played every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with draws held at approximately 8pm.

Why Has Another Draw Been Added?

When the National Lottery announced a series of changes back in November, it stated that it wanted its games to ‘stand out from the crowd - and each other’. The extra Thunderball draw was described as a way of meeting the needs of players who value ‘smaller, more frequent wins’.

Why Play Thunderball?

Thunderball may not offer the huge jackpots that can be found on Lotto or EuroMillions, but there are twice as many opportunities to enter the game. Whereas Thunderball can now be played four times a week, Lotto and EuroMillions are both available just twice a week.

The odds of winning the Thunderball jackpot are also far superior than the other two games, at 1 in 8,060,598. You have to select five main numbers from 1 to 39, plus a Thunderball of 1 to 14, and if you match the full winning line you will pick up the top prize of £500,000, even if there are multiple jackpot winners.

The other prizes range from £3 for matching just the Thunderball to £5,000 for matching five main numbers, and there are a total of nine different ways to win. The odds of winning any prize are 1 in 13, and the cost of a single play is just £1.

Other National Lottery Changes

A new game, EuroMillions HotPicks, was played for the first time last Friday, giving players the chance to win up to £1 million. Changes to Lotto are also being considered to help make sure the jackpot is won more frequently and a new ‘annuity-style’ game is also on the agenda where prizes would be paid in regular instalments rather than big one-off payments.

Play Thunderball

You can take part in Thunderball by visiting any authorised retailer in the UK or by playing online. If you match all five main numbers plus the Thunderball you will not only receive £500,000 and set yourself up financially, but also make a small piece of history as the first Tuesday winner.

Published: Monday 29th January 2018

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