"Must Be Won" Draw Promises Huge Payout and Potential New Record Winner

The UK's largest ever lottery prize remains unclaimed following Friday's Euromillions draw. The jackpot, currently standing at £208 million, would make the winner wealthier than well-known figures like Dua Lipa and Adele. Despite no one matching the winning numbers, ticket holders are encouraged to check their tickets for any smaller prizes.

If no one wins the jackpot, a "Must Be Won" draw will be held next Friday, June 20th. This means the entire prize money must be awarded that night. The prize will be distributed as in a standard draw, but if no one matches all the numbers, the prize money will roll down to the next tier.

This could mean that those who match five numbers and one Lucky Star could win a significant amount. If there are no winners in that tier, the prize money will continue to roll down to the lower categories.

Andy Carter, a senior winners’ adviser, noted that a win of this size would create the biggest National Lottery winner in the country's history. He also mentioned that the jackpot is now capped, and any additional money that would have increased the jackpot will now boost prizes in the next winning tier. This means that multiple UK players could win large prizes for matching just five main numbers and one Lucky Star.

The rules regarding jackpot rollovers have evolved. After the jackpot reached €200 million in February 2020, the prize could remain at its maximum value for four draws before a "Must Be Won" draw. Prior to that, the jackpot could roll over 11 times.

Historically, there have been instances where the jackpot had to be won after multiple rollovers. In October 2019, a UK player won £170 million after the jackpot rolled over four times. Similar situations occurred in 2006, where the jackpot had to be won after 11 consecutive draws. The most recent major Euromillions win was in July 2022, when a UK ticket holder won the previous record of £195 million.