Jackpot

It’s a dream come true. You’ve matched all six numbers on Lotto. You’ve done it – you’ve hit the jackpot! You’re probably in shock, panic or pure ecstasy. So what actually happens next? Everyone’s had the ‘what would you do?’ conversation but what about the bit between realising you have won a life-changing amount and actually getting the money in your hands? Read on to find out…

Make that winning call
The first thing to do (after you’ve had a cup of tea, run around the room or screamed with joy) is to call us. Our number is on the back of the ticket or on our website. We have a team of call agents on standby until 11pm on Saturday night to take your call. What an amazing job that is!

They will try and get some details out of you to make sure that you have a winning ticket for that draw. They will ask for various numbers on the ticket, including the all-important six in the middle, and will check our records before saying that, yes, although we haven’t validated your ticket it does look like you have won. They will also ensure that you have put your name and address on the back of your ticket to declare that it is yours.

The results and prize amounts take a little time to audit and verify, so at this point we may not be able to confirm your actual win amount. But you will know how many players have shared the jackpot and how big the estimated jackpot is. They will pass your details on to one of our Winners’ Advisors who will call you back.

A visit from Winners’ Advisor
Depending on the time of your call it is most likely the call back will be Sunday morning. The Winners’ Advisor job is to validate your ticket and then…pay you the money! They visit most players at home so they’ll arrange an appointment to come and see you, ask you to get hold of a couple of forms of ID, and ask how many people you’ve told. For larger winners they will recommend taking on a private bank. You will be able to choose from a selection of private banks to attend your validation.

The Winners’ Advisor will arrive for an appointment which takes around 2 hours. They will check ID, fill in forms and liaise with our security team back at lottery HQ. The validation process is where you finally hand over your ticket.

The all-important MONEY bit
Once we are happy that it’s a valid ticket and you’re the rightful ticket holder, the Winners’ Advisor will finally declare, “Congratulations, you are a winner and I can pay you your prize!”. The private bank will open an account for you, there’s some form filling in, and arrangements are made for some cash if you need it.