How Late Can You Buy a Lottery Ticket in the UK?
Whether you’ve spotted a potential jackpot total on the news, or simply fancy choosing a few numbers, it can be useful to know when you can actually buy a UK lottery ticket.
Timing matters more than you might think. If you miss the deadline—even by a minute—you won’t be included in that day’s draw.
This blog explains how late you can buy a lottery ticket in the UK, whether you’re doing it in person or online. It walks you through how the process usually works, what happens if you’re too late, and how you can avoid missing the cut-off altogether. Let’s clear up the details so you know where you stand.
Deadline for Buying Lottery Tickets at Retailers
If you’re planning to buy your lottery ticket in person—say at a supermarket, local shop or petrol station—it’s important to keep the cut-off time in mind. For most National Lottery draw-based games, including the Lotto and EuroMillions, retailers can usually sell tickets up to 7:30pm on the day of the draw.
After this point, the system will automatically stop accepting entries for that evening’s game. Even if you’re at the counter just before the draw, if the deadline has passed, you’ll be too late to take part in that draw.
Shop opening hours can vary, and some stores may stop selling lottery tickets slightly earlier than 7:30pm, depending on their own closing times or local policy. If you often buy in-store, it can be worth checking your usual shop’s lottery hours in advance.
Not all draw-based games are played on the same days. For example:
- The Lotto usually takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays
- The EuroMillions is drawn on Tuesdays and Fridays
- Thunderball is drawn four times a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
So, if you’re buying your ticket in-store, make sure you know which game you want to enter and when the next draw is happening. Tickets bought after the deadline will go into the next scheduled draw for that game.
Latest You Can Buy Lottery Tickets Online
If you’re buying online through the National Lottery website or app, the purchase window is slightly different. You can buy tickets or set up a Direct Debit between 6am and 11pm each day. But on the day of the draw, you’ll still need to complete your purchase by 7:30pm to be included in that evening’s draw.
This deadline applies to all draw-based games. So, whether you’re playing the Lotto, EuroMillions, or Thunderball online, anything bought after 7:30pm on a draw day will be entered into the next available draw instead.
The National Lottery platform is available for browsing 24 hours a day, but you won’t be able to log into your account or make changes between 2am and 6am. This maintenance window applies daily.
Online play can offer added flexibility. You can:
- Set up entries for multiple draws in advance
- Save your favourite numbers
- Get reminders or results sent to your account
If you’re using the app, make sure your payment details are up to date and you’re familiar with how the platform works. This may help avoid issues when trying to buy a ticket close to the deadline.
What Happens If You Miss the Lottery Ticket Deadline?
If you try to buy a ticket after 7:30pm on a draw day, it won’t be eligible for that evening’s game. Instead, your ticket will be entered into the next scheduled draw for that particular game.
Let’s say you try to buy a Lotto ticket at 7:35pm on Saturday. You’ll miss that night’s draw, but your numbers will still be entered for the following Wednesday draw, as long as that’s the next one scheduled.
The lottery system automatically stops accepting entries at the set time to help ensure fairness and allow all valid tickets to be processed before the draw takes place.
If you’ve selected multiple draws when buying your ticket—either in-store or online—and you’re too late for the current one, your entry should still apply to any eligible future draws within the number of plays you’ve paid for.
To reduce the chance of missing out:
- Try buying your ticket earlier in the day
- Use the Direct Debit or multi-draw options if you prefer to plan ahead
- Double-check your local shop’s opening hours if buying in person
Is There a ‘Best Time’ To Buy a Lottery Ticket?
There’s no proven time of day that increases your chances of winning. Every valid ticket entered before the cut-off has the same chance of being drawn, regardless of when it was purchased.
The odds are based on the numbers selected and how many possible combinations exist. For example, in the UK Lotto game, the odds of matching all six main numbers are 1 in 45,057,474. For the EuroMillions, the odds of winning the jackpot (five main numbers and two Lucky Stars) are 1 in 139,838,160.
These odds don’t change based on when you buy your ticket. Some people may choose to buy in the morning to try and avoid queues, while others might pick a time that suits them, like after work or on certain days. Either way is fine, as long as the ticket is bought before the deadline.
What may help is setting a reminder on your phone or calendar. This can be useful if you want to enter a certain draw, or are prone to forgetting about draw days.
Remember that every lottery game involves random outcomes. There are no strategies or methods that can guarantee a win. Choosing numbers that are “special” to you, such as birthdays or anniversaries, may make your ticket feel more personal, but it doesn’t change the chances of winning.
If you’re interested in different draw-based games, it may be a good idea to check:
- The days they’re drawn
- How much they cost to enter
- What the potential prize tiers are
- The odds of winning in each category
You’ll find all of this information, plus full terms and conditions, on the official National Lottery website or app.
Playing the lottery should be for fun, not seen as a solution to money problems. Only spend what you can afford, as all games are based on chance.
The National Lottery offers tools like limits, self-exclusion, and activity tracking to help you manage your play. Support is also available through organisations such as GamCare.
For full details and guidance, visit the official National Lottery website.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.