Can You Buy Lottery Tickets in Advance?
This is an independent, informational guide for UK readers and is not affiliated with the organisations mentioned. It is provided for general information only.
Yes, you can buy UK National Lottery tickets in advance — typically up to four weeks of draws at once, in store or online — and online you can also set up a subscription so your numbers are entered automatically. You don't have to wait for all the draws to finish before claiming a win.
Buying ahead in one go
Yes. You can buy National Lottery tickets for several future draws at once — typically up to four weeks of draws — both in shops and online, for Lotto, EuroMillions, Thunderball and Set For Life.
In a shop this is called Advance Play, and all your entries are printed on a single ticket showing each draw date.
Subscriptions online
Online, you can also set up a subscription, which automatically enters your chosen numbers into every draw for as long as you keep it running, so you never miss one.
Either way, you must be 18 or over and, for online play, a UK or Isle of Man resident located in the country.
Claiming a win on an advance ticket
You don't have to wait for all the draws on an advance ticket to finish before claiming. If you win on one draw, you can claim straight away and are issued an Exchange Ticket for the remaining draws.
Keep that Exchange Ticket safe, as it becomes your proof of entry for the draws still to come.
Cut-off times and records
Tickets for a given draw must be bought before that draw's cut-off — for the National Lottery, by early evening on the draw day. Advance tickets simply lock in future draws ahead of time.
Keeping the printed ticket safe matters even more with advance play, since it covers several draws.
Advance play and subscriptions are mainly about convenience — making sure you never miss a draw you meant to enter — rather than changing your odds, which stay the same. The one thing to remember is to look after the ticket, since with advance play a single ticket can cover several weeks of draws.
How far in advance can you buy lottery tickets?
Typically up to four weeks of draws at once, in store or online, with subscriptions available online for ongoing entry.
What is Advance Play?
An in-store option where several future draws are printed on one ticket, so you're entered into each without buying again.
Can you claim a win before all the draws finish?
Yes — you claim as normal and receive an Exchange Ticket valid for the remaining draws.
Is there a cut-off time for buying lottery tickets?
Yes — you must buy before the draw's cut-off on the day, after which entries count towards the next draw.
Related guides: Playing online, What is a Lucky Dip?, How to claim winnings
18+ only. Gambling should be fun, not a way to make money. If you are worried about your gambling, or affected by someone else's, free and confidential help is available from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, from BeGambleAware.org, and through the self-exclusion scheme GAMSTOP. You must be 18 or over to gamble.