Britons have the opportunity to win an astonishing £1 billion in a new lottery draw set to be introduced soon. Allwyn, the new operator of the National Lottery, has revealed plans to launch a draw that will be linked with the popular American Powerball game.
The new draw, scheduled three times a week, will offer the chance to win a life-changing sum starting at £12 million, with the jackpot able to grow indefinitely if not won. This could lead to a historic £1 billion prize for a lucky winner in the UK, making it the largest lottery prize ever offered.
Unlike traditional lottery payouts, the top Powerball prize is distributed over 30 years. For a £1 billion win, this would equate to over £30 million annually. If the winner does not live for the full payout period, the remaining amount will be transferred to their estate, according to an Allwyn spokesperson.
However, the odds of claiming the Powerball jackpot are challenging at 292 million to one, as players compete against participants from 48 US state lotteries. Each Powerball line costs £4, making it the most expensive National Lottery draw to date.
The price discrepancy compared to the US is attributed to the UK offering more lower-tier prizes. For example, matching two main numbers awards a fixed £8 prize, increasing to £1 million for five main numbers.
The exact launch date is yet to be confirmed, but UK players will select five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26, or opt for a Lucky Dip. Tickets can be purchased online or in-store before 11:55pm on the night before the draws, held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, with results announced around 4am the following day from the Powerball studio in Florida.
In a related development, Allwyn has also announced changes to the main Lotto draw starting June 7. Each £2 Lotto line will now provide two chances to win, maintaining the same number selection process but introducing a new two-round format per draw.
This adjustment significantly enhances players’ odds of winning a prize, from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9, with projections indicating a doubling of Lotto millionaires from approximately 140 per year to around 345.
Andria Vidler, the CEO of Allwyn, expressed excitement over the enhancements, stating that the National Lottery is committed to delivering more games and innovation to its players. The revamped Lotto promises increased opportunities for players to become millionaires, with the introduction of the UK-specific Powerball game set to captivate the public’s interest.