Joe & Jess Thwaite INSIST they’re ‘like any normal family’ after £184m UK jackpot win

What draw is on tonight?

Tonight, the Thunderball is on at 8:00pm, followed by the EuroMillions at 8:45pm.

In Friday’s EuroMillions, one lucky person could be in with the chance of winning a HUGE £33M!

Ever wondered what happens to unclaimed prizes?

Any cash that isn’t claimed after a total of 180 days from a game played in the UK goes to National Lottery projects across the country.

Folks in Ireland have just half that time to claim too, with only 90 days before the prize money is off the table.

Once the claim period is over, the ticket officially expires and the owner of the lottery ticket will no longer be able to claim any of their winnings.

But after that time has expired, any unclaimed prizes, plus any interest they might have accumulated in that time, are allocated to the National Lottery’s Good Causes fund instead.

This will usually then go on to help fund things like sport programmes or local community buildings or other projects.

Be gamble aware

The National Lottery operate a ‘Healthy Play’ policy and monitor behavioural patterns in players.

The National Lottery released the following statement, “We know that extraordinary things happen when lots of people play a little. We’re proud to say that around 60% of UK adults enjoy our games, so encouraging healthy play is at the heart of everything we do. The way we design our games and tools helps put you in control of your play.

“To keep players safe online, we use an in-house behavioural analytics model. This identifies at-risk players, enabling us to support them through targeted interventions.”

Explained: What draw is worth playing?

The game with the best odds, in terms of winning the top prize, is the Thunderball.

According to the National Lottery website, the odds of winning the jackpots are:

• Lotto jackpot: 1 in 45,057,474.
• EuroMillions jackpot: 1 in 139,838,160.
• Set For Life top prize: 1 in 15,339,390.
• Thunderball top prize: 1 in 8,060,598.

Explained: National Lottery weekly timetable

Here’s a timetable for all UK lottery games including Lotto, EuroMillions and Set For Life.

There is a draw 6 nights a week.

However, there are no draws on Sundays.

Is there a magic formula to winning?

Have you ever wondered the secrets to winning big in the lottery? Is it pure luck or is there a system to it…?

1. Avoid computer picks. It lowers your odds of winning.
2. On scratchcards, try buying 10 of one ticket instead of several different tickets.
3. Mix up your numbers.
4. Even it out – Don’t pick all odd or all even numbers.
5. Split from the crowd, so don’t play patterns.
6. Apparently, you should avoid anniversaries, birthday’s and dates.
7. Avoid playing winning numbers that have been drawn before, because every combination has a chance of coming up once every half a million drawings.

Star sign most likely to pick winning numbers

The moment we’ve all been waiting for. Which sign is most likely to win the lottery? Well, it’s good news if you’re born in February or March.

According to research from Lott and MailOnline, dreamy Pisces is the luckiest sign of the zodiac when it comes to winning the lottery.

The data, which was based on those winning the top lottery jackpot, found that 11.6% of the winners were Pisces – meaning, on average, they were more likely to pick the golden ticket.

Go-with the-flow Pisces will stumble upon extraordinarily lucky breaks and often find themselves effortlessly attracting most things on their wish list.

So, Pisces, if you’re reading this maybe you should get down to the shops and buy a lottery ticket.

Expert suggests ways to handle massive win

The dilemma of what to do with a huge lottery win is the stuff of dreams for most people.

But those lucky enough to have a huge windfall should plan for the future as well as readjusting to day-to-day life on their new, turbo-charged income, according to finance experts.

Joe and Jess Thwaite, from Gloucester, were revealed on Thursday as the winners of Britain’s biggest EuroMillions lottery jackpot of £184 million.

The couple, who are aged in their 40s and have two children, scooped a record-breaking £184,262,899.

Alistair McQueen, head of savings and retirement at Aviva, said: “Average household wealth in the UK is just over £300,000, including property, savings, pensions and everything else which is owned.

“Fewer than 1% of all households hold more than £3 million of wealth and so winning millions would lift most people into a very select segment of the population.”

Who are the biggest EuroMillions lottery winners in the UK?

EuroMillions ticket holders have been transfixed on their TV screens, waiting for the lottery numbers to roll in every Tuesday and Friday.

None more so than in May 2022 when a record £184m jackpot was up for grabs for one lucky winner.

Here’s what happened to some of the UK’s biggest EuroMillions winners.

Thank you for reading my coverage this evening. Joe Gamp will be back with you tomorrow morning.

My luck is generally terrible’ says EuroMillions prize winner Joe Thwaite

Joe Thwaite said he was working on Tuesday and by 4pm he thought he “better buy a ticket” because he was aware of the jackpot.

He said he regularly buys tickets, adding: “I normally buy them when it’s a good amount, so when there’s a lot of money I’ll put it on. I use the app, and have a quick check a couple of times a week and I’ll put it on.

“But generally my luck is pretty terrible, to be honest with you.”

His wife Jess said: “He tries to convince me to buy them thinking I’ll have more luck, but actually it’s him.”

Revealed: The most common EuroMillions numbers

For EuroMillions, you pick five main numbers and two Lucky Stars, with draws taking place every Tuesdays and Fridays.

The five most drawn main numbers since EuroMillions launched in February 2004 are 23, 44, 50, 19 and 37.

The two most drawn Lucky Stars are 2, 3 and 8. The least drawn numbers are 33, 36, 22, 40, 18.

The original Lucky Stars were 1 to 9 – of those, the least drawn are 4 and 1. The more recently added Lucky Stars 10, 11 and 12 have been drawn less.

In the UK, a single entry to a EuroMillions draw costs £2.50. EuroMillions is different to the main Lotto draw.

Explained: What is up for grabs in the Euromillions

5 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 2 Lucky Stars – Jackpot 

5 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 1 Lucky Star – £130,554.30

5 MAIN NUMBERS – £13,561.20

4 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 2 Lucky Stars – £844.70

4 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 1 Lucky Star – £77.80

3 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 2 Lucky Stars – £37.30

4 MAIN NUMBERS – £25.60

2 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 2 Lucky Stars – £9.10

3 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 1 Lucky Star – £7.30

3 MAIN NUMBERS – £6.00

1 MAIN NUMBER Plus 2 Lucky Stars – £4.30

2 MAIN NUMBERS Plus 1 Lucky Star – £3.60

2 MAIN NUMBERS – £2.50

What draw is on tomorrow?

Tomorrow, the Thunderball is on at 8:00pm, followed by the EuroMillions at 8:45pm.

In Friday’s EuroMillions, one lucky person could be in with the chance of winning a HUGE £33M!

Money doesn’t buy happiness

For many, winning the jackpot means mass celebrations and ultra-expensive cars – but not for Susan Hardman.

When the mum-of-one’s numbers came up in January 2010 she worked as a hairdresser in Eardisley, Hereford, and was “struggling financially”.

Instead of splashing out when the £1.2million win landed in her bank account, she traded in her scissors for overalls and became a pig farmer.

Susan claimed to be happier than ever knee-deep in mud and said bringing a piglet into the world brought her “more satisfaction” than winning the lottery.

Top tips for playing the lottery

Have you ever wondered the secrets to winning big in the lottery? Is it pure luck or is there a system to it…?

1. Avoid computer picks. It lowers your odds of winning.
2. On scratchcards, try buying 10 of one ticket instead of several different tickets.
3. Mix up your numbers.
4. Even it out – Don’t pick all odd or all even numbers.
5. Split from the crowd, so don’t play patterns.
6. Apparently, you should avoid anniversaries, birthday’s and dates.
7. Avoid playing winning numbers that have been drawn before, because every combination has a chance of coming up once every half a million drawings.

Tips to get lucky numbers

Avoid repeats – Another top tip is to ensure you are always choosing numbers that weren’t drawn last week.

While it might seem 3 is a lucky number, just because it appeared in the previous draw, it doesn’t mean it will again next time.

Odds and evens – According to expert analysis, all-odd and all-even line-ups are drawn less than three per cent of the time.

As there are seven gaps to fill, this means it is best to pick three odd and two even, or two odd and three even.

One of these patterns will occur in 68 per cent of EuroMillions draws.

Shun same last digits – Similarly to odds and evens, it’s good to mix things up when it comes to the second digit of your numbers.

Even if seven might be your lucky number, think twice about choosing 7, 17, 27, 37 and 47.

Almost 90 per cent of draws have no more than one repeated last digit.

And your chances of winning with four same final digits drop to less than two tenths of one per cent.

UK weather outlook for Saturday and Sunday

It will be largely dry on Saturday with sunny spells but variable amounts of cloud will build bringing rain across Scotland and Northern Ireland later.

Mostly dry on Sunday with spells of sunshine however variable amounts of cloud will build bringing rain across Scotland and Northern Ireland later.

Set For Life returns in 45 minutes time

Set For Life returns tonight with another chance to bag a jackpot of £10k a month for the next 30 years.

We will announce the numbers right here shortly after 8pm.

Good luck!

Ever wondered what happens to unclaimed prizes?

Any cash that isn’t claimed after a total of 180 days from a game played in the UK goes to National Lottery projects across the country.

Folks in Ireland have just half that time to claim too, with only 90 days before the prize money is off the table.

Once the claim period is over, the ticket officially expires and the owner of the lottery ticket will no longer be able to claim any of their winnings.

But after that time has expired, any unclaimed prizes, plus any interest they might have accumulated in that time, are allocated to the National Lottery’s Good Causes fund instead.

This will usually then go on to help fund things like sport programmes or local community buildings or other projects.

Be gamble aware

The National Lottery operate a ‘Healthy Play’ policy and monitor behavioural patterns in players.

The National Lottery released the following statement, “We know that extraordinary things happen when lots of people play a little. We’re proud to say that around 60% of UK adults enjoy our games, so encouraging healthy play is at the heart of everything we do. The way we design our games and tools helps put you in control of your play.

“To keep players safe online, we use an in-house behavioural analytics model. This identifies at-risk players, enabling us to support them through targeted interventions.”

Where you can also check your numbers

You can also view results for all the latest draws on the National Lottery website.

As well as winning numbers for the last game, you can also view historical results going back six months.

It will give you the option to view results for:

• Lotto
• EuroMillions
• Thunderball
• Lotto Hotpicks
• EuroMillions Hotpicks
• Set For Life

Explained: What draw is worth playing?

The game with the best odds, in terms of winning the top prize, is the Thunderball.

According to the National Lottery website, the odds of winning the jackpots are:

• Lotto jackpot: 1 in 45,057,474.
• EuroMillions jackpot: 1 in 139,838,160.
• Set For Life top prize: 1 in 15,339,390.
• Thunderball top prize: 1 in 8,060,598.

Is there a magic formula to winning?

Have you ever wondered the secrets to winning big in the lottery? Is it pure luck or is there a system to it…?

1. Avoid computer picks. It lowers your odds of winning.
2. On scratchcards, try buying 10 of one ticket instead of several different tickets.
3. Mix up your numbers.
4. Even it out – Don’t pick all odd or all even numbers.
5. Split from the crowd, so don’t play patterns.
6. Apparently, you should avoid anniversaries, birthday’s and dates.
7. Avoid playing winning numbers that have been drawn before, because every combination has a chance of coming up once every half a million drawings.