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A single UK ticket holder has secured a staggering £181m EuroMillions jackpot, marking one of the largest lottery wins in British history.
This “life-changing” sum, precisely £181,073,415.70, makes it the third-biggest National Lottery prize ever claimed in the UK, according to operator Allwyn.
The fortunate player successfully matched all five main numbers – 12, 14, 27, 44, and 50 – along with both Lucky Star numbers, 04 and 12.
The draw also saw other significant UK wins, including one ticket holder who scooped £355,164.90 by matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star, and another who secured £16,601.50 for matching the five main numbers.
Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at Allwyn, said: “Brilliant news, someone in the UK has scooped a life-changing £181m! That makes this the biggest win of 2026 so far and the third biggest UK National Lottery winner of all time.
“With that size fortune, this lucky winner would have wealth on a par with the likes of Adele (worth an estimated £170m). Just imagine the kind of lifestyle that could unlock!
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A UK ticket holder has scooped a £181m jackpot (Yui Mok/PA)
“Anyone who bought a ticket should take a moment to check it carefully – you could be the winner we’re looking for.”
Friday’s jackpot now stands at an estimated £14m.
In November, a lucky Euromillions player won a £157m jackpot.
The ticket holder, from France, correctly selected the five winning numbers and two lucky stars.
When people win the lottery, a 180-day countdown starts from the day the numbers are drawn to claim their prize. After that time, all unclaimed money – and any interest earned – goes to the National Lottery Good Causes fund.
Patrick Lisoire, consumer communications manager at National Lottery operator Allwyn, told The Independent that people with paper tickets are less likely to claim their wins than online players.
He said: “It’s retail tickets that may go unclaimed because you buy a paper ticket, if you misplace it, if you don’t get around to checking it in time, although it is nearly six months, those tickets could expire.”
Online players are reminded repeatedly to check their login via phone and email, so people are more likely to claim them.