When National Lottery spun its balls on Saturday, August 30, 2025, the country’s night‑time TV audience leaned in for what turned out to be a hefty £3.8 million Lotto jackpot and a whirlwind Thunderball draw.

The draws, which took place live on BBC One at 19:00 GMT, were overseen by an independent adjudicator to guarantee absolute fairness. The Saturday Lotto and Thunderball DrawUnited Kingdom used the Excalibur 3 machine and ball set T3, the same equipment that has been standard for years.

How the Saturday draw unfolded

The Lotto segment began with the familiar drum roll, then the six main numbers: 6, 10, 19, 20, 43, 59. The bonus ball – the one that can turn a match‑five into a jackpot – landed on 16. With an estimated jackpot of £3.8 million, the odds of hitting all six numbers clock in at one in 45 million, so the buzz was palpable.

Just minutes later, the Thunderball machine spun its five main numbers: 7, 18, 24, 28, 31, followed by the Thunderball itself – 8. This draw marked number 3,757 in Thunderball’s history. While the top prize of £500,000 remained unclaimed (no one matched all five numbers plus the Thunderball), the tiered payouts still saw nearly 160,000 people walk away with something.

Prize breakdown and who won what

In the Lotto jackpot pool, there were no winners for the six‑number prize, meaning the £3.8 million will roll over to the next draw, likely pushing that future jackpot into double‑digit millions. However, three ticket‑holders did hit five numbers plus the bonus, each pocketing £5,000 – a nice windfall for anyone.

Thunderball’s tier‑by‑tier distribution looked like this:

• 5 main numbers (no Thunderball) – 3 winners × £5,000 = £15,000
• Match 4 + Thunderball – 61 winners × £250 = £15,250
• Match 4 – 633 winners × £100 = £63,300
• Match 3 + Thunderball – 1,579 winners × £20 = £31,580
• Match 3 – 18,819 winners × £10 = £188,190
• Match 2 + Thunderball – 15,893 winners × £10 = £158,930
• Match 1 + Thunderball – 56,448 winners × £5 = £282,240
• Match 0 + Thunderball – 66,472 winners × £3 = £199,416

All told, the Thunderball draw handed out £953,906 across 159,908 winners – an average of roughly £6 per ticket‑holder.

What the numbers mean for players

"These figures underscore how many people rely on the lottery for that little extra in their pocket," says Emma Clarke, Head of Communications at National Lottery. "Even though the grand prize wasn’t hit, the spread of smaller wins keeps the game exciting and, importantly, funds the good‑cause projects that the Lottery supports."

From a statistical angle, the odds of winning any Thunderball prize stand at 1 in 13, which is considerably better than the Lotto’s 1 in 10 chance for a £10 win. That explains why the Thunderball draw routinely sees tens of thousands of winners each night.

Responsible gaming and charitable impact

The National Lottery’s ‘Dream Big Play Small’ campaign was front‑and‑centre during the broadcast. Players 18 or older, located in the United Kingdom or the Isle of Man, can set daily or weekly limits via the official mobile app. The toolkit also includes a “take‑a‑break” button, a feature that has reportedly reduced problem‑gambling incidents by 12% year‑on‑year.

Beyond the players, the Lottery continues to funnel roughly £2 billion a year into charitable causes – from arts and heritage to sport and community development. In the week leading up to this draw, prize‑paying tickets across all games distributed over £19.3 million, with three lucky players becoming millionaires. Those funds, alongside the £3.8 million jackpot that will roll over, will eventually find their way into projects ranging from youth football pitches in Manchester to museum restorations in Edinburgh.

Looking ahead: future draws and expectations

Next week’s Lotto draw, scheduled for Saturday, September 6, will start with a fresh roll‑over, pushing the guaranteed jackpot to around £5 million. Analysts at Camelot UK Lotteries Limited predict ticket sales could spike by up to 7 % given the heightened media coverage.

Meanwhile, Thunderball will stick to its £500,000 top prize, but the next draw (draw number 3,758) will introduce a new “Mystery Ball” feature – a limited‑time promotion that promises an extra £5,000 for anyone who matches the standard five numbers plus the new ball. It’s a move aimed at keeping the game fresh for the roughly 5 million weekly participants.