UK National Lottery players have been left unable to log in, check results or buy tickets online after the official website and mobile apps were deliberately taken offline as part of a scheduled systems overhaul.
The temporary shutdown, which began late Saturday evening, has triggered a wave of searches from players trying to find out whether the outage is a fault — and crucially, when services will return.
The planned shutdown was confirmed by National Lottery operator Allwyn, which said the outage is part of a major digital upgrade designed to modernise the website and apps for millions of UK players.
The answer, according to National Lottery operator Allwyn, is that the disruption is planned and forms part of a wider digital upgrade designed to modernise how millions of players use the platform.
How long will the National Lottery be offline?
The National Lottery website and its iOS and Android apps were switched off at 11pm on Saturday and are expected to remain unavailable for roughly 24 hours. Online services are due to return by the end of Sunday, once the upgrade work has been completed.
Players who normally access their accounts online will be able to log back in as usual once the relaunch is complete. Those with automatic app updates enabled should see the new version install automatically, while others will be prompted to update manually.
Which National Lottery games are affected?
During the outage, players are unable to buy tickets or play games online, including Lotto, EuroMillions, Thunderball, Set For Life and all associated HotPicks options. Checking results or claiming prizes digitally is also unavailable while the systems are offline.
Despite the online pause, scheduled draws are still going ahead as normal. Saturday evening’s Lotto and Thunderball draws took place as planned, with results displayed at retail locations and via official National Lottery channels.
Can you still buy National Lottery tickets?
Yes. Players can continue to buy tickets in person at National Lottery retailers across the UK while the digital services are unavailable. Paper tickets can be checked in store, and prizes of up to £500 can still be claimed immediately at retail counters.
In total, more than 43,000 shops nationwide remain operational, ensuring players do not miss out on draws despite the temporary online shutdown.
What will change when the website and app return?
Allwyn says the upgrade will deliver a refreshed digital experience while keeping the platform familiar for existing users. Players should notice a redesigned payment journey, easier navigation, and a simpler process for checking numbers and claiming prizes.
New safeguards are also being introduced, including mandatory deposit and spending limits for new customers, automatic time-out features, cooling-off periods and regular on-screen reminders for instant-win games.
The operator described the work as another milestone in its long-term plan to modernise the National Lottery’s digital systems, including migrating millions of online accounts onto a new platform.
Once services resume, players will be able to access their accounts as normal, with further changes and new digital features expected to roll out later in the year.
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