If you’re using the National Lottery app, you might wonder when it’s open for play and when it pauses overnight.
Whether you’re looking to buy a Lotto ticket, explore Instant Win games, or check results, knowing the app’s opening and closing times can help you plan better and avoid missing a deadline—especially on draw days.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly when you can log in, when ticket sales close, and how this can affect things like scratchcards and Direct Debits. We’ll also cover how you may be notified of any potential wins, what to do if the app isn’t working, and where safer gambling tools fit in.
Whether you’re brand new to lottery apps, or just want to try and avoid some common slip-ups, this page has you covered.
Why The Lottery App Closes at Night
Each night, the National Lottery app pauses certain features between 2am and 6am. This is when routine maintenance and system updates take place. During this four-hour window, you won’t be able to log into your account or make any purchases. This scheduled downtime helps keep user data secure and ensures the app functions properly when it reopens.
Although you can’t sign in or play during these hours, the app and website still allow you to browse. This means you can look through available games, review previous results, or read up on how different features work—just without interacting with your account. If you try to log in during the pause, you should get a message letting you know when services will be back online.
This closure isn’t unique to the app. The same time restrictions apply on the official National Lottery website, making the 2am–6am period consistent across both platforms.
What Time Does The App Close?
The National Lottery app can be browsed at any time of day, but full access to your account is only available between 6am and 2am.
Outside of these hours—specifically between 2am and 6am—you won’t be able to log in, make purchases, or play any games.
Ticket sales depend on the day of the week. For Draw-Based Games like the Lotto or EuroMillions:
- 6am to 11pm – Ticket sales on non-draw days
- 6am to 7:30pm – Ticket sales on draw days (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays)
- 2am to 6am – No access to ticket purchases or account features
Scratchcards and Instant Win Games follow the same login schedule. These games are not available during the overnight pause. Instant Win Games are played online and show the outcome almost immediately after the game ends.
Both scratchcards and Instant Win Games offer fixed odds and published prize structures, which you can check before playing. All outcomes are based on chance and cannot be influenced.
How App Closing Times Affect Ticket Purchases
When the app pauses at 2am, all account-related actions stop as well. You won’t be able to buy tickets, check your balance, set up Direct Debits, or play any games that require a login. This makes it important to complete any purchases or changes before the pause begins, especially if you’re hoping to enter a draw the next day.
For example, if you’re planning to enter the EuroMillions on a Tuesday, you’ll need to buy your ticket before 7:30pm that evening. If you wait until later or try during the login pause, your ticket won’t be valid for that day’s draw.
Similarly, scratchcards and Instant Win Games aren’t available for play during the 2am–6am window. Although they are displayed on the app, you can’t play until login access is restored. If you’re setting up a regular Direct Debit to enter draws automatically, that also needs to be done within login hours.
The app’s maintenance window doesn’t affect your ability to look through past results, view draw information, or read game rules. So, while interaction is limited, information remains available.
Latest You Can Buy Lottery Tickets In Shops
If you’re buying tickets from a shop instead of the app, the cut-off time for entering a draw is 7:30pm on the day of the draw. This rule applies to all Draw-Based Games, including the Lotto, Thunderball, and EuroMillions.
It’s worth noting that shop hours can vary. If your local newsagent closes at 6pm, for example, you’ll need to buy your ticket before then—even though official sales don’t close until 7:30pm. To avoid disappointment, it may be a good idea to check opening times ahead of time, especially for draws you want to enter that evening.
Shops also sell paper scratchcards, which work differently to online versions. These physical cards are bought outright and scratched by hand. The odds and potential prize structure should be printed on the back of each card.
Both types of scratchcards—paper and online—are games of chance. There is no way to predict or influence the result of any game. Each card or digital play is independent, and previous plays don’t affect the outcome of the next.
Does The Lottery App Still Notify Winners?
Yes, the National Lottery app notifies you if you’ve won. You’ll usually receive an app notification or email, so it may be worth making sure alerts are enabled on your device. Any win messages can also be found in the “My Messages” section of your account.
What happens next depends on the value of the prize:
- Up to £500 – Paid straight into your National Lottery account. No action is needed.
- £500.01 to £30,000 – You’ll need to confirm the payment card linked to your account by following the steps in your win message. This must be done before 11pm on the last day of the claim period.
- £30,000.01 to £50,000 – You must call the National Lottery to claim. These prizes are paid by cheque.
- Over £50,000 – These must be claimed in person. Call the National Lottery to register your win and arrange a time and location.
If you win a free Lotto Lucky Dip (by matching two main Lotto numbers), it’s entered automatically into the next draw. You can update your preference to choose a Wednesday or Saturday draw in your Spend & Play settings. Instant Win Game outcomes are shown almost immediately after play.
Winning Notification But App Not Working: What To Do?
If you receive a notification saying you’ve won, but you’re unable to log into your account, the first thing to check is the time. If it’s between 2am and 6am, you’ll need to wait until services resume in the morning.
If you’re within normal login hours and still can’t access your account, try restarting your device, checking your internet connection, or updating the app to the latest version. The same login details should work on both the app and the National Lottery website, so you can also try signing in on a browser.
If none of these steps work, you can visit the “Contact Us” section on the National Lottery website. Here you’ll find support options including phone numbers and email contacts for help with your account or any technical issues.
