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Thunderball vs Postcode Lottery: Prices, Odds and Prizes Compared
The two games work differently: Thunderball costs £1 a line, you pick your own numbers and its top prize is a fixed £500,000, while the Postcode Lottery costs £12.50 a month, your postcode is your entry and prizes are won by every ticket in a winning postcode.
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The two side by side
| Thunderball | Postcode Lottery | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1 a line, per draw | £12.50 a month per ticket, as a rolling subscription |
| How you enter | 5 numbers from 1 to 39 and a Thunderball from 1 to 14 | A postcode, with no numbers to choose |
| Draws | Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday | Winning postcodes announced every day |
| Largest prizes | £500,000, fixed | £250,000 per ticket (monthly) or a share of £1 million (Saturdays) |
How Thunderball pays
Every Thunderball prize is a fixed amount and nothing rolls over; the rules allow prizes to be capped only in very limited circumstances. Matching all five main numbers and the Thunderball wins £500,000, at official odds of 1 in 8,060,598; the odds of a line winning any prize are about 1 in 13. Prizes of up to £500 won online are paid straight into your National Lottery account.
How the Postcode Lottery pays
There are no numbers to pick. Each ticket enters all of that month’s draws, and when a postcode comes up, every ticket held there wins. The main prizes are:
- £1,000 for every ticket in 20 winning postcodes each day;
- a share of £1 million on Saturdays, the Millionaire Street prize;
- £250,000 for every ticket in one winning postcode, in most months of the year.
Millionaire Street is shared, so one ticket’s amount depends on how many tickets play in that postcode. Winnings are paid into your bank account within 28 days.
Why the odds are hard to compare
Thunderball publishes fixed odds for each prize. The Postcode Lottery publishes only average chances, which change with the number of tickets playing. One Thunderball line in every draw for four weeks costs £16, bought draw by draw or by subscription; the Postcode Lottery is a £12.50-a-month subscription that continues until you cancel. In both games most entries win nothing, and no prize is guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
Which costs more, Thunderball or the Postcode Lottery?
A Thunderball line is £1 a draw, so every draw for four weeks costs £16; the Postcode Lottery is £12.50 a month per ticket, which enters it into all that month’s draws.
Can you choose numbers in the Postcode Lottery?
No. Your entry is your postcode, so there are no numbers to pick.
Is the Thunderball top prize shared?
No. Each line that matches all five main numbers and the Thunderball wins £500,000, unless prize capping applies in very limited circumstances.
Is the Postcode Lottery part of The National Lottery?
No. It is a separate lottery run by Postcode Lottery Limited, which is licensed by the Gambling Commission.
Related guides: how The Birthday Draw compares with the Postcode Lottery and how much a lottery ticket costs in the UK.
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