Winning Set For Life numbers revealed with £10k for 30 YEARS jackpot up for grabs

The unexpected win

Like many people who play the lottery, Patrick and Frances Connolly “always hoped” they would win but didn’t have high hopes.

But two years ago, on New Year’s Day, they scooped £114,969,775 on the EuroMillions after playing every week for years.

When the couple, from County Armagh, Northern Ireland, found out about the “life-changing” sum, they modestly celebrated with “a cup of tea and a hug”.

They told ITV: “I always hoped we would win the lottery one day, but when we did, it would be just our luck that lots of others would win on the same day with the same numbers too.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would ever win almost £115 million.”

How does Thunderball work?

Players must pick five main numbers from 1 to 39 and on Thunderball number which ranges from 1 to 14.

Prizes may be won by matching the main numbers, but those who also match with the Thunderball will win a larger prize.

If a player matches with the Thunderball only, they could win £3, but if they have match all five numbers and the Thunderball, they could scoop £500,000.

Draws take place at 8.15pm four times a week – on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – and are shown on the National Lottery website and YouTube.

What happens to the EuroMillions money if no one claims it?

If no UK players come forward within 180 days then the prize money, plus all the interest it has generated while it is held in trust, goes to National Lottery-funded projects across the UK.

The National Lottery have said: “Our players change the lives of individuals as well as communities by raising, on average, over £33 million for National Lottery-funded projects every week.”

How old do I need to be to play?

Those feeling lucky now have to be over 18 to play, as the minimum age goes up from 16 to 18.

That means it is illegal for any retailer to sell these goods to anyone under the age of 18 – and will apply to favourite games like Lotto and the EuroMillions.

Online sales of lottery tickets and scratchcards have already been banned – this came into force in April this year.

The new age restriction, which was exclusively revealed by The Sun, aims to make sure the lottery is not a “gateway to problem gambling”, minister for sport, tourism and heritage Nigel Huddleston previously said.

Gambling is illegal for under-18s, but until now anyone 16 or over has been able to play National Lottery games.

National Lottery weekly timetable

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

There is a draw six nights a week.

It should be noted that there are no draws on Sundays.

Set For Life returns tonight

Set for Life returns tonight at 8pm.

Once again, Brits will play for the chance to win £10,000 a month for the next 30 years.

That’s equivalent to a lifetime payout of £3.6million.

Woman ‘was physically sick’ after £3.8m Lotto win

Diana Bate, from North Wales, won a mouth-watering £3.8 million Lotto Jackpot during Christmas last year.

She said she was “went into a state of shock” and was “physically sick”.

Speaking afterwards she said: “Winning the National Lottery hasn’t charged us as people but we can certainly enjoy life more now and treat our family more than we could ever do before.”

Mum scooped £300,000 on Lottery scratch card

A mum realised she had won £300,000 on a National Lottery scratch card after initially believing her winnings were just £1,000.

Sandra Davine only discovered her huge winnings after a life-changing phone call to a lottery line operator in December last year.

Sandra declared that she thought she had won £1,000 – enquiring as to how it could be claimed.

But unbeknown to her, her day was about a get a lot better as the phone line operator confirmed that she had actually scooped a whopping £300,000.

A stunned Sandra, of Renfrewshire, Scotland, can be heard saying: “You must be joking. There’s no way.”

NHS worker syndicate bagged £118,044 on EuroMillions

A SYNDICATE of 53 NHS workers won £118,044 on EuroMillions earlier this month.

They matched five numbers and one lucky star in the October 8 draw.

The syndicate members are mostly pharmacy staff at Morriston Hospital in Swansea and aged between 20 and 63.

They have been working flat out during the pandemic.

Pharmacy technician Kim Owen, 61, said: “It’s been a scary time for all of us so the win is extra special.”

Members of the syndicate, which is called the Pharmily Crew, will each receive £2,227. Most say they will spend their share on sunshine holidays.

Is EuroMillions prize money capped?

The maximum jackpot prize is capped at €200 million – before conversion – and can alter depending on which country the winner lives in and the value of their currency.

In the UK, the winner’s prize would be capped around £181.5million.

That’s an eye watering sum of money.

Earlier this month, a French ticket holder bagged an estimated £184m.

Graphic: The UK’s top EuroMillions winners

Some of the UK’s previous largest EuroMillions winners include Colin and Chris Weir won £161million on the EuroMillions in 2011.

Adrian and Gillian Bayford from Suffolk won £148.6 million, after exchange rates, on 10th August 2012 because they bought a Lucky Dip from a convenience store.

And Frances and Patrick Connolly, from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, scooped the £114.9million New Year’s Day EuroMillions jackpot in 2019.

Number 27 most likely to help punter scoop a jackpot

National Lottery ball number 27 is the most likely to help punters win a jackpot, researchers say.

It has made more appearances than any other in 3,071 draws in the past ten years.

The number came up 399 times in the UK National Lottery, Thunderball, EuroMillions and Irish Lotto.

That is 141 more times than number 57, the unluckiest number, which was drawn just 258 times.

The second luckiest is 54, which appeared 387 times. It was followed by 29, 42, 52 and 58 in joint third on 381 times.

The next luckiest was number 20 with 378. Then came 23, with 372.

Number 27 most likely to help punter scoop a jackpot

National Lottery ball number 27 is the most likely to help punters win a jackpot, researchers say.

It has made more appearances than any other in 3,071 draws in the past ten years.

The number came up 399 times in the UK National Lottery, Thunderball, EuroMillions and Irish Lotto.

That is 141 more times than number 57, the unluckiest number, which was drawn just 258 times.

The second luckiest is 54, which appeared 387 times. It was followed by 29, 42, 52 and 58 in joint third on 381 times.

The next luckiest was number 20 with 378. Then came 23, with 372.

Wednesday’s Lotto jackpot now an estimated £8.7m

The jackpot for Wednesday’s National Lottery draw will be an estimated £8.7 million after no-one bagged the top prize on Saturday evening.

No-one matched all six main numbers, although one lucky player matched five plus the bonus ball to take £1 million, Camelot said.

The winning Lotto numbers were 27, 21, 28, 04, 13, 37 and the bonus number was 19.

Set of balls number 11 and draw machine Arthur were used.

Some 141 ticketholders matched five numbers to win £1,750, while 8,093 matched four numbers to claim £140.

Where does money raised by the Lottery go?

In the year ending 31 March 2021, the funds were shared as follows:

• Health, education, environment and charitable causes – 40%
• Sport – 20%
• Arts – 20%
• Heritage – 20%