How long do you have to claim EuroMillions and National Lottery prizes?

Portsmouth residents were urged yesterday to check their tickets to see if they had won the life-changing sum. 

The winning numbers are 07, 10, 15, 44, 49, and the two lucky stars 03, 12.

If you have won the jackpot or even one of the smaller prizes in the EuroMillions or National Lottery draws and wonder about claiming your money here’s what you need to know:  

How long do I have to claim EuroMillions prizes? 

In the UK you have up to 180 days to claim any winnings – this includes jackpots or lower sums. 

What about National Lottery? 

You also have up to 180 days to claim your prizes if you’ve won on the National Lottery. 

What happens if I don’t claim my winnings? 

If you fail to claim your winnings from National Lottery in the 180 day time frame then the prize money is donated to the Good Causes fund. 

Officials release the location in which an unclaimed winning ticket was bought two weeks after the draw in order to help track down the winner.

How can I claim if I bought online? 

If you do the lotteries online – either EuroMillions or National Lottery – here’s what you need to know about claiming: 

- Prizes up to £500 will be paid directly into your National Lottery account shortly after the draw. 

- For winnings from £500 to £30,000 you'll need to confirm that the prize should be paid to the debit card registered to your National Lottery account within 180 days. 

- Prizes over £30,000 and up to £50,000 can be claimed by calling the National Lottery Customer Care Team on 0333 234 44 33 during normal opening hours. 

- Prizes over £50,000 must be claimed in person call 0333 234 44 33 to validate your claim and we will arrange to process your claim in person.

What if I bought a ticket in-store? 

If you decided to buy a lottery ticket from an authorised retailer, not online, here’s what you need to know about claiming: 

- Prizes of up to £100 can be claimed from any official lottery retailer.

- If you’ve won over £100 and up to £500 these can be claimed from any authorised retailer provided that they have sufficient funds available and that your ticket has not yet been validated. If your ticket has already been validated then you must return to the retailer who originally validated your ticket or claim your prize at a National Lottery affiliated Post Office.

- For prizes over £500 up to £50,000 you can claim either at a National Lottery affiliated Post Office or by sending your winning ticket and completed claim form by post. 

- If you've won over £50,000 you must first contact the National Lottery and arrange for your prize to be awarded at an agreed location such as your home or Regional Lottery Centre. You will be required to provide proof of identity and complete a claim form in order to receive your prize.