Allwyn Launches UK Powerball and Revamps Lotto as Part of National Lottery Modernisation

Allwyn, the operator of the UK National Lottery, has officially launched a UK-specific version of the US Powerball game and introduced a major overhaul of its Lotto game as part of a broader strategy to double weekly returns to good causes by 2034.

Powerball UK Goes Live

The first retail Powerball UK ticket was sold at a shop in Pocklington, Yorkshire, shortly after 5am on 21 July, with the first online purchase made via the National Lottery app by a player in Brighton just before 6am. The inaugural draw is scheduled for 23 July, with a jackpot estimated at £300m. Tickets cost £4 per line and must be bought by 11:55pm the night before each draw. The UK Powerball is the first time the game has been made available outside the US, enabled by a deal with the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), which oversees Powerball across 48 US states.

Jackpots start at £12m and are uncapped, with the potential to grow into the billions—seven prizes exceeding $1bn have been awarded in the US since 1988. UK-specific prize tiers include a fixed £8 prize for matching two main numbers and a guaranteed £1m for matching five main numbers. UK jackpot winners will receive their prize paid out over 30 years. Allwyn CEO Andria Vidler described Powerball as a game that will "really capture the UK public's imagination" given its transformative jackpot potential.

Lotto Gets a Two-Round Format

Alongside Powerball, Allwyn has implemented the biggest-ever change to the core Lotto game. From 7 June, every £2 Lotto line now offers two chances to win per draw through a new two-round format, with two sets of balls drawn using separate machines. The change improves the odds of winning any prize from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9 and is expected to more than double the number of Lotto millionaires from around 140 per year to roughly 345. Lotto jackpots still start at £2m and can roll over up to five times, with a must-be-won event on the sixth draw.

Andria Vidler noted that the new Lotto format, combined with the Powerball launch, creates a complementary portfolio of games. "We are delivering on our promise to bring more games, more entertainment and more innovation to The National Lottery," she said, adding that the upgrades to digital and retail channels are now complete, allowing the operator to introduce these new formats.

Strategic and Financial Context

Allwyn took over the National Lottery licence in February 2024 and has since cleared several legal hurdles, including lawsuits from former operator Camelot and technology provider IGT (now Brightstar Lottery), as well as a claim by media mogul Richard Desmond. With these distractions resolved, the company is pressing ahead with its modernisation plans. Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at Allwyn, said that the Powerball jackpot offers "a whole new level of possibility" for UK players, shifting the conversation from personal purchases to making a difference for communities and causes.

Allwyn’s central goal is to double weekly contributions to good causes from £30m to £60m by 2034, with current returns averaging £33m per week. The Powerball game alone is forecast to deliver around £1bn in additional funds for good causes over its first five years, with more than 30% of each ticket price going to these causes.