National Lottery Halts Ticket Sales, Prizes UK-Wide for 36-Hour System Upgrade

The National Lottery in the UK is undergoing its biggest technology upgrade in 31 years, resulting in a planned 36-hour downtime starting Saturday night after the Lotto and Thunderball draws. During this period, all ticket sales, prize claims, and account access via the website, app, and in-store terminals are suspended, with services expected to resume by late Monday morning. The Czech-based operator Allwyn, which took over the National Lottery license in February 2024, is implementing over 30 new systems to modernize technology dating back to 2009 and aims to enhance the player experience and increase contributions to Good Causes. The Gambling Commission is closely monitoring the upgrade, with additional IT and customer support staff on standby to manage any issues. Despite some risks of delays for a small number of in-store terminals, the upgrade is seen as a 'once-in-a-generation' opportunity to restore the lottery's impact and fulfill Allwyn's ambitious goals. Players are advised to purchase tickets and claim prizes before the downtime, and can still access Saturday's results via the National Lottery’s YouTube channel during the outage.