When National Lottery held its Lotto draw number 3,105United Kingdom on Wednesday, the £5,029,330 jackpot vanished into thin air – no ticket matched all six numbers. That alone makes the night worth a coffee‑talk, but the cascade of lower‑tier winners, a parallel Thunderball draw and a splash of good‑cause funding turn a routine lottery into a story with plenty of angles.
How the Lotto draw unfolded
The live broadcast, anchored by an independent adjudicator, featured the trusty Lotto 2 ball machine with ball set 4. Numbers tumbled out in this order: 3, 23, 30, 16, 47, and 38, followed by the bonus ball 25. The sequence felt almost cinematic – the first ball, a modest 3, set a calm tone before the larger 47 leapt into the chamber, reminding everyone that luck is fickle.
Because nobody nailed the full set, the massive jackpot rolled over to the next draw. It’s a situation that feels familiar to regular players: you’re “so close” yet the prize stays out of reach, prompting a fresh surge of ticket sales for the next Wednesday.
Prize breakdown – who walked away with cash?
While the top tier stayed empty, the lower tiers kept the money flowing. Here’s the full picture:
- Match 5 + Bonus: £1,000,000 fixed prize – zero winners.
- Match 5: 61 winners, each £1,750 – total £106,750.
- Match 4: 3,961 winners, each £140 – total £554,540.
- Match 3: 82,388 winners, each £30 – total £2,471,640.
- Match 2: 692,884 free tickets – no cash outlay.
All told, 779,294 tickets claimed something, moving a grand total of £3,132,930 through the prize fund. The pyramid distribution looks exactly as you’d expect – a towering jackpot at the top, a middle layer with a few million in smaller wins, and a broad base of modest payouts.
Thunderball draw – a side‑show with its own drama
Simultaneously, the Thunderball drawUnited Kingdom unfolded on the same screen. Numbers rolled out: 37, 24, 6, 1, 36, with the Thunderball number 5 clinched at the end. A £500,000 top prize sits on the line for a £1 stake, and this time the winning combination didn’t line up with any ticket either.
Even without a thunderous winner, the draw’s popularity remains solid. Players appreciate the separate, lower‑cost game that offers a decent six‑figure payout, and the separate draw helps keep the overall National Lottery revenue healthy.
Responsible play and the Good Cause angle
Both draws were streamed live and uploaded to the National Lottery app, where players could verify their numbers instantly. The organisation also used the moment to push its responsible‑gaming toolkit – a reminder that you must be 18 or older and physically located in the United Kingdom or the Isle of Man to participate.
Speaking to Emma Clarke, Head of Player Services at National Lottery, “We see the excitement each draw brings, but we also want players to set limits, take breaks, and enjoy the game as a form of entertainment, not a necessity.”
The Good Cause story attached to the September 24 draw highlighted the Red Roses’ win, a women's rugby team that earned a spotlight during the Summer of Sport 2025 campaign. Funding from the National Lottery continues to trickle into grassroots sport, community projects and cultural initiatives across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, proving that even when the jackpot rolls over, there’s still a win for society.
What’s next? The £5.03 million prize awaits
With the £5,029,330 prize now sitting on the table, the next draw – scheduled for Wednesday, October 1 – is set to attract a surge of ticket sales. Historically, rollover jackpots of this size boost participation by roughly 30 % compared with a baseline draw.
Analysts at betting‑firm OddsLogic note that the odds of hitting the jackpot remain astronomically low (1 in 45 million), but the psychological pull of a soaring prize is undeniable. If the numbers align, the next week could see a life‑changing win for an unsuspecting Briton, plus an extra boost to the Good Cause fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the £5.03 million rollover affect ticket sales?
Rollover jackpots typically lift sales by 20‑35 % because players are drawn to the larger prize. In the last three rollovers of similar size, the National Lottery reported an average increase of 28 % in ticket volume for the following draw.
Who benefits from the Good Cause funding linked to the draw?
Funds flow to community projects, sports clubs, heritage preservation and health initiatives across the UK. The Red Roses’ recent grant, for example, helped fund equipment for women’s rugby programs in the North West, aligning with the Summer of Sport 2025 campaign.
What are the odds of winning the top prize?
The odds of matching all six main numbers in a Lotto draw are 1 in 45,057,474. For the Thunderball top prize, the odds are 1 in 8,145,060.
Can players claim winnings outside the UK?
No. To play or claim any prize, participants must be physically located in the United Kingdom or the Isle of Man at the time of purchase, as stipulated by the National Lottery’s terms and conditions.
When will the next Lotto draw take place?
The next Lotto draw is scheduled for Wednesday, 1 October 2025, at 19:45 GMT. Tickets will be on sale from the following Monday, 27 September, both online and at authorised retailers.