This is an editorial guide provided for information only. Prize amounts and rules are set by the National Lottery operator and were correct at the time of writing under the June 2026 game changes — always check the official National Lottery site for current prizes. fortunegames.com is not affiliated with the National Lottery or Allwyn.
What Do You Win for 1 Number and the Thunderball?
One main number plus the Thunderball wins a fixed £5. And if you matched nothing but the Thunderball, that still wins £3 — the only National Lottery draw game where a single matched ball pays.
The full answer
Thunderball’s bottom tiers all hinge on the Thunderball itself, drawn from a separate pool of 14. With it: no mains pays £3, one main pays £5, two mains pay £10, and so on up the ladder. Without it, nothing pays until you’ve matched three main numbers. One main number alone, however tantalising, is a losing ticket.
The odds at this level
Matching one main plus the Thunderball has odds of about 1 in 35 — and the Thunderball-only £3 sits at roughly 1 in 29. These two tiers are the engine room of the game: in our 100-million-ticket simulation, they accounted for more than six million of the eight million winning lines. They’re why Thunderball pays something about once every 12 to 13 tickets, the friendliest rate of the main draw games.
Small prizes, unusual generosity
Every Thunderball prize is fixed and unshared, and the game returns a higher share of stakes in prizes than Lotto’s fixed tiers — our simulation measured nearly 52p back per £1 on average. The trade-off is the ceiling: £500,000 is the maximum, with no rollovers to swell it.
Worth double-checking
The £3 and £5 tiers are the National Lottery’s most commonly unclaimed kind of win, simply because players glance at their main numbers, see one match, and assume nothing. The last ball is the one that pays — check it first, not last.
Frequently asked questions
How much is 1 number and the Thunderball worth?
A fixed £5, paid in full — and the Thunderball alone with no main numbers pays £3.
Does 1 main number alone win anything?
No — without the Thunderball, prizes only start at three matched main numbers.
What are the odds of the £5 prize?
About 1 in 35 per line — it’s one of the two tiers that make up most of Thunderball’s winners.
Is the Thunderball the same as Lotto’s Bonus Ball?
No — the Thunderball is drawn from its own pool of 14 and unlocks prizes at every level; Lotto’s Bonus Ball only matters at Match 5.
Related guides: what 2 numbers on Thunderball wins, the full Thunderball prize breakdown and 100 million Thunderball tickets, simulated.