Questions and answers

The UK 49's draw four times a day: Brunchtime at 11:49, Lunchtime at 12:49, Drivetime at 16:49 and Teatime at 17:49 UK time. South Africa is an hour ahead of the UK during British Summer Time (Lunchtime is at 13:49 here) and two hours ahead in the UK winter (14:49). Daily Lotto is drawn every night at 21:00, Lotto on Wednesday and Saturday at 20:56 and PowerBall on Tuesday and Friday at 21:00, South African time. Every game's time is on the draw times page.

Usually within minutes of the draw. A result carries the "being checked" mark until a second source confirms it, which normally happens a few minutes after the draw ends.

Each 49's draw picks six balls and a Booster Ball from 1 to 49. Readers who back Lucky Numbers at a licensed bookmaker choose one to five numbers, and the bet wins only if every one of them is among the six balls drawn, or among the seven if the bet includes the Booster. What a winning bet pays is set by the bookmaker, not by 49's Ltd; check your betting slip.

On the National Lottery games your board is compared with the numbers drawn, in any order. Lotto, Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto 5 Max add a Bonus Ball that counts in some divisions; PowerBall adds a PowerBall drawn from a separate pool; Daily Lotto has no bonus ball. Each game's prize page shows its divisions.

National Lottery prices are set by the operator and can change; see the current price on the official National Lottery site or at a retailer. The stake on a Lucky Numbers bet is up to you and your bookmaker.

This site does not give tax or legal advice. Ask the operator how much you will be paid, and if you are unsure about tax, ask SARS or a registered tax practitioner.

A National Lottery prize must be claimed within 365 days of the draw; after that it expires. Lucky Numbers winnings on the UK 49's are paid by your bookmaker under its own terms. Do not leave it to the last moment.

Small National Lottery prizes can be claimed at any authorised lottery retailer, larger ones at the claim points the operator lists, and the biggest at the operator's regional offices, with a claim form and your ID. Lucky Numbers winnings are paid by the bookmaker where you placed the bet. The claim page has what we know.

The Booster is a seventh ball drawn after the six main balls in every UK 49's draw, from the same 1 to 49. Some bets count it as an extra chance for your Lucky Numbers to come out; others are on the Booster alone. Which applies depends on the bet you placed.

No. This site does not sell tickets or take bets. Buy National Lottery tickets only through the official channels, and be wary of any page that promises sure numbers.

Because one source has read it in full, but a second one has not confirmed it yet. The numbers are almost certainly right, and the mark goes when two sources agree or the operator's official results publish the draw. If they differ, this site waits and records the correction.

Neither. Lotto49s is an independent information site, not affiliated with any lottery operator or bookmaker. We sell nothing, take nothing from readers and publish no predictions, tips or "lucky numbers". Every draw is random and independent.

Open the ticket checker, choose the game and the date and type your numbers. The comparison happens in your browser, so your numbers never leave your device. Then compare with the operator's official results before you go to claim.

Operators can move or cancel draws on some days. The changes we know about appear on the draw times page and on the page of each draw.