Many people in the UK pick a “Lucky Dip” when buying National Lottery tickets. You might wonder whether letting the system pick your numbers changes your chances of landing a potential jackpot.
In this blog, we look at how Lucky Dip tickets work, why some players may favour it, and what recent winners have experienced. You’ll find real stories, useful statistics, and simple facts about the UK National Lottery to help you decide if a Lucky Dip could suit your way of playing.
You don’t need any special skills to use a Lucky Dip. But to make up your own mind, it helps to understand how it compares to choosing your own numbers, along with the odds, possible prizes, and key game rules.
Curious if the facts support using a Lucky Dip? Let’s get into the details.
Spotlight On Random Number Wins
Some National Lottery players select numbers based on dates that matter to them. Others leave it to chance and use a Lucky Dip. No matter how you pick, every line has the exact same chance of winning.
Stories of winners using a Lucky Dip have been in the spotlight. Sarah Savill and her husband Marcus, for example, received a free Lucky Dip when they matched two numbers on the Lotto, which turned into a prize of £63,339. This shows how even a free or unexpected ticket has the potential to end up with a big win.
Jane Lewis from Halifax, usually a stickler for her regular numbers, bought a Lucky Dip just once and ended up winning over £4.3 million on a Quadruple Rollover.
In April 2024, Toni Henderson picked up two Lucky Dip tickets and won £1 million.
Then there’s Joe and Jess Thwaite from Gloucester, who landed the UK’s record EuroMillions prize of £184 million with a Lucky Dip ticket.
Hits like these get plenty of attention, but all ticket lines—no matter how selected—have the same chance in every draw. For more on this, see our section about the odds in the next part of this article.
The Player’s Guide To Lucky Dips
Lucky Dips are a simple, no-fuss way to enter National Lottery games. Instead of picking your own numbers, the lottery generates a set for you at random.
If you’re buying online, just look for the “Lucky Dip” option when you’re choosing your tickets on the National Lottery site or app. Every time you click or tap it, a new line of random numbers is added. You can include as many Lucky Dip lines as you’d like (up to the draw’s limit).
In shops, you can simply ask the staff for a Lucky Dip, or leave your play slip blank and tick the Lucky Dip box—your ticket will then be printed with random numbers.
A Lucky Dip line costs the same as a regular entry: £2 for the Lotto and £2.50 for the EuroMillions. All lines, whether you choose them yourself, or get them via a Lucky Dip, are part of the official draw on your chosen date.
As covered in the previous section, your odds of winning aren’t influenced by how you get your numbers. For questions about specific games, potential prize breakdowns or entry rules, it may be a good idea to check the official terms before playing.
Are Lucky Dips A Smart Way To Play?
For many, Lucky Dips take away the need to come up with number combinations, making it a convenient option.
Your chances of winning remain unchanged, regardless of how your numbers are picked. For the Lotto, the odds of landing the jackpot are roughly 1 in 45,057,474. With the EuroMillions, that figure jumps to around 1 in 139,838,160.
Some enjoy the ritual of picking meaningful numbers; others might like the speed and total randomness of a Lucky Dip. Either way, every entry has the same chance.
What counts as a ‘smart’ way to play really depends on your own preferences. Playing responsibly means setting limits that suit your budget and never spending more than you can comfortably afford.
Busting The Lucky Dip Myths
A few common myths about Lucky Dips might make it sound like a better (or worse) choice than picking your own numbers, but the facts say otherwise.
Common Misunderstandings About Lucky Dips
Lucky Dip tickets are more likely to win.
The odds are always based on the game’s structure, not on how your numbers are picked.
Lottery machines avoid repeating combinations.
Each line is generated at random. The system can select any combination, including ones that have come up before.
Picking your own numbers means fewer winners to share with.
You may still get a duplicate combination, whether via a Lucky Dip or manual selection. Sharing depends on how many people in total match all the numbers.
Consecutive numbers or repeating patterns never happen.
Every combination has an equal chance of being drawn, even if the numbers appear in a sequence or form a potential pattern.
When considering any method, it is important to remember what has already been discussed: each line has the same odds. Always set limits that suit your own budget and view playing as a form of entertainment.
Whether you like to leave things to chance or prefer to pick your own numbers, you now know the facts about Lucky Dip tickets, so you can play in a way that suits you best.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.