Allwyn will bring Powerball to the UK this summer and overhaul the National Lottery’s flagship Lotto draw, marking the biggest changes to UK lottery gaming since the National Lottery launched in 1994.
The two moves come after Allwyn completed a £450m technology upgrade across the National Lottery’s digital and retail infrastructure, which migrated 18 million player records and over three billion historical transactions to new systems.
Lotto moves to a two-round format
From 7 June, every £2 Lotto line will give players two chances to win through a new two-round draw format. Two separate draw machines will each produce six main balls and a Bonus Ball during the Wednesday and Saturday draws, meaning a single ticket can win in one or both rounds.
The structural change shifts the odds of winning any prize from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9. Allwyn estimates the new format will more than double the annual number of Lotto millionaires from around 140 to approximately 345.
Jackpots will continue to start at £2m and roll over up to five times before a must-be-won draw. The jackpot pool is shared across both rounds, while all other prize tiers pay fixed cash amounts per round. The Lotto HotPicks add-on game will also adopt the two-round format and remain priced at £1.
Tickets for the new Lotto go on sale from 7 June, with the first two-round draw scheduled for Wednesday 10 June.
Powerball crosses the Atlantic
The UK will become the first market outside the United States to offer Powerball, through a partnership between Allwyn and the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), the non-profit body that operates Powerball across 48 US member lotteries.
UK players will pick five main numbers from 1 to 69 and one Powerball number from 1 to 26, priced at £4 per line. The game carries an uncapped rolling jackpot starting at £12m, with UK winners receiving payouts over 30 years.
The UK version includes an exclusive prize tier for matching two main numbers, paying a fixed £8 prize not available to US players. Matching five main numbers without the Powerball pays a fixed £1m.
Draws take place three times a week from the Powerball studio in Florida, at approximately 4am UK time on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. An exact UK launch date has not been confirmed, pending final regulatory approval from the Gambling Commission.
Allwyn projects the game will generate around £1bn for UK Good Causes over its first five years, with over 30% of ticket revenue directed to Good Causes funding.
Commercial context
The game launches follow a period of steady growth for the National Lottery under Allwyn’s stewardship. Total sales reached £8.1bn in 2025, up 3.5% year-on-year. Digital sales hit £4.1bn, accounting for 51% of total sales for the first time in the lottery’s 31-year history. A record 12.1 million players now use digital platforms, an increase of one million during 2025.
Good Causes funding reached more than £1.7bn in 2025, equivalent to £33m per week, up from £30m when Allwyn took over operations in February 2024. The operator’s stated target is to double weekly Good Causes returns to £60m by the end of its licence in 2034.
At group level, Allwyn reported full-year 2025 revenue of €9bn, with GGR of €8.6bn and adjusted EBITDA of €1.6bn, each up 4% year-on-year.
CEO outlook
Allwyn CEO Andria Vidler framed the launches as a direct result of the completed infrastructure programme.
“We are delivering on our promise to bring more games, more entertainment and more innovation to The National Lottery. With extensive upgrades to our digital and retail channels now complete, we have a fantastic summer lined up, as we are now able to bring these exciting new games to our players.”
Vidler positioned the two products as complementary: Lotto as the route to becoming a millionaire, Powerball as the path to jackpots measured in billions.
“Lotto has always been the best game to play if you want to become a millionaire. Our new Lotto gives players two chances of winning £1m-plus for the same £2 they spend on each Lotto line today, creating hundreds more millionaires every year.”
On the broader strategy, Vidler pointed to the operator’s obligation to grow player base and returns within the UK’s regulatory framework.
“By offering a wide range of complementary games, we’re ensuring there is something for everyone, returning the magic, building our player base and making sure The National Lottery remains part of the national conversation. In turn, this will raise more money for Good Causes, helping us reach our goal of doubling weekly returns to Good Causes from £30m to £60m by 2034, with £33m a week currently raised.”
Both game launches remain subject to final regulatory approval.
Powerball was founded in 1992 and has generated an estimated $38bn for good causes in the US over 34 years. Its largest single prize exceeded $2.04bn in 2022.
More info on the two new games can be found here: Powerball: https://www.national-lottery.co.uk/powerball / Lotto: https://www.national-lottery.co.uk/new-lotto / Lotto HotPicks: https://www.national-lottery.co.uk/new-lotto-hotpicks
Source: Allwyn
