Allwyn sets sights on doubling number of UK lotto millionaires
Allwyn UK, operator of the British National Lottery, has unveiled another product following the launch of a ‘Powerball’-style one earlier this year.
The UK branch of multinational lottery group Allwyn International is planning to launch two game formats this summer, updating the UK Lotto product to sit alongside the new Powerball.
Changes will be made from 7 June. Every £2 Lotto line will have two chances to win from this date, but the price and number of balls to choose from will remain the same.
There will also be a new two-round format every draw. Allwyn states that this will improve players’ chances of winning any prize from just over one-in-nine to just under one-in-five, doubling the amount of millionaire winners from 140 a year to about 345.
“We are delivering on our promise to bring more games, more entertainment and more innovation to the National Lottery,” said Andria Vidler, Allwyn Chief Executive Officer.
“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.
“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.”
Allwyn crunches the lotto numbers
For Allwyn, the ultimate test of whether the product launches have been successful or not will be in the numbers; not only whether the products do lead to more winners, but whether they lead to more customers buying tickets.
Ultimately, that is what the company gets graded on as holder of the fourth National Lottery licence, which it took on under a 10 year contract back in February 2024 after winning the Gambling Commission-overseen tender contest back in 2022.
Allwyn has set itself an ambitious goal of doubling returns to good causes from £30m a week to £60m by the end of its tenure in 2034 – by which point it is likely hoping it will have proven itself as lottery operator and secure the contract for another 10 years.
During the tender process back in 2021-2022, the issue of returns to good causes, such as Olympic athlete funding, was repeatedly brought up.
Former lottery licence beholder Camelot UK – which managed the lottery from its inception in 1993 until losing to Allwyn and subsequently being bought by the firm – faced some scrutiny around good causes returns, with Olympic and Paralympic athletes at one point being questioned by MPs on the matter.
After clearing a number of legal challenges against its win in the tender, Allwyn is now establishing itself as lottery operator, with two key objectives – get ticket sales up, and in turn, get returns to good causes up.
This comes amid an important transformation for the company following last year’s acquisition of US daily fantasy sports platform PrizePicks, as well as its merger with Greek betting firm OPAP, which Allwyn owner and Czech investment firm KKCG held a key stake in for some time.
Launching US-style powerball and expanding the lotto product are both key pillars of Allwyn’s gameplan to transform the UK lottery and further solidify its position, building on a huge tech enhancement of retail points-of-sale.
Vidler remarked that Powerball’s ‘transformative jackpots’ will ‘really capture the UK public’s imagination’.
She continued: “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.”
https://lotterydaily.com/2026/05/13/highlighted/uk-national-lottery-millionaires-allwyn/