National Lottery participants throughout the United Kingdom are being notified about a substantial operational change scheduled for this coming weekend. The organisation's complete suite of digital platforms, including its official website and mobile applications, will be temporarily inaccessible for a full 24-hour period to facilitate what has been described as the most significant technological upgrade since 2009.
Scheduled Downtime and Player Guidance
The planned digital blackout is set to commence at 11pm on Saturday, January 24, continuing through the entirety of Sunday. During this maintenance window, players will find themselves completely unable to log into any National Lottery digital services. This temporary disruption forms part of a comprehensive system enhancement initiative that the organisation states will establish the foundation for improved user experiences in the months and years ahead.
Alternative Participation Methods During Upgrade
Despite the digital platform unavailability, the National Lottery has confirmed that both the main Lotto draw and Thunderball draw will proceed as normal from 8pm on Saturday evening. For those wishing to participate during the upgrade period, several alternative methods remain available:
- In-store ticket purchases: Players can visit any of the 43,500 National Lottery retailers across the UK to buy tickets physically
- Draw result checking: Participants can access the National Lottery's official YouTube channel to verify winning numbers
- Retail outlet information: Traditional retail locations will continue to provide draw results and ticket purchasing facilities
Significance of the Technological Improvements
In an official statement published on their website, National Lottery representatives emphasised the importance of these upgrades, describing them as "the most significant improvements since 2009." The organisation further explained that these technological enhancements will "lay the foundations for us to deliver a better experience for you in the months and years ahead," suggesting that players can anticipate more streamlined digital interactions and potentially improved functionality once the maintenance is complete.
Recent Lottery Success Story
This announcement follows recent lottery success stories, including that of Anthony Brayson, a 38-year-old Birmingham resident who began 2026 with what he described as an "unbelievable" series of fortunate events. After securing a new job and enjoying his first proper Christmas break from retail work in years, Mr Brayson experienced a "life-changing" £250,000 win from a National Lottery Silver Scratchcard.
Initially met with disbelief from his mother, who thought he must have misread the scratchcard, the win was subsequently verified. The newly-appointed retail manager has since treated his parents to celebratory meals, plans to take them on holiday, intends to pay off the remainder of his mother's mortgage, and is preparing to renovate his own property.
"It was the first proper Christmas break I've had in a long time," Mr Brayson reflected. "Working in the retail industry means Christmas is always extra busy. This year I finally had time to relax, spend time with family, and just enjoy the season instead of working through it. That alone felt like a win."
As the National Lottery prepares for its digital transformation this weekend, players are reminded to plan their participation accordingly and utilise the available alternative methods to continue enjoying lottery games during the temporary service interruption.
