UK National Lottery Playslip Instructions

There have been 7 playslip designs to date - the changes between designs are listed below:

First-generation playslip
Monday 14th November 1994-Saturday 16th March 1996

Red text is predominant throughout, with some black markings down the sides for playslip orientation within the lottery terminal.
5 boards labelled A to E (from bottom to top of the playslip).
Void box (fill to cancel a board).
Defaulted to one draw, but could select between 2 and 8 draws.
Dimensions: 188mm by 83mm.
Maximum cost: £40.

Second-generation playslip
Sunday 17th March 1996-Wednesday 29th January 1997

7 boards labelled A to G (from bottom to top of the playslip).
Lucky Dip box (fill for random ticket) labelled "L.DIP".
Typeface and gaps between boards reduced.
Maximum cost: £56.

Third-generation playslip
Thursday 30th January 1997-Sunday 12th November 2000

Alternating boards have a white background and then a pink background.
Boxes to choose Saturday only, Wednesday only or both.
"It could be you !" text in blue arrow.
Boxes labelled "No. Of WEEKS" instead of "NUMBER OF DRAWS".
Lucky Dip box labelled "LUCKY DIP" with an arrow next to it.
Maximum cost: £112.

Fourth-generation playslip
Monday 13th November 2000-Sunday 12th May 2002

New yellow boxes attached to each board for Lottery Extra (contained "Same" [as main lottery board] and "Lucky Dip" boxes).
"Your Dream Ticket" text in a red arrow.
Maximum cost: £224.

Fifth-generation playslip
Monday 13th May 2002-Sunday 1st December 2002

Alternating boards have a light pink background and then a dark pink background (yes, that's red text on dark pink, which is hard to read !).
New "Lotto" and "Lotto Extra" logos at the top of the playslip.
Slogan changed to the very cheesy "Don't live a little, live a Lotto" and moved to the top of the playslip.
Boards A to G now run from the top of the playslip to the bottom.
Numbers within a board are now orientated left to right across each board row (previously, numbers were orientated 90 degrees anti-clockwise).
Numbers are lined up in five rows - 1 to 48 are in four rows of 12 numbers and, crazily, the number 49 is on a row of its own (and now shares that row with Lucky Dip/Extra boxes), making it easy to miss.
Maximum cost: £224.

Sixth-generation playslip
Monday 2nd December 2002-late 2005

The dark pink background "mistake" in the 5th generation playslip was corrected - the 2nd, 4th and 6th panels (aka panels B, D and F) now have a white background.
Maximum cost: £224.

Seventh-generation playslip
Late 2005 onwards

New logos at the top of the playslip, but use of lower case "l" (el) for "lotto" in the logos is confusing (is the game pronounced "Eye-otto" now?), especially when an upper case "L" is used for "Lotto" 48 times on the rest of the playslip! Note that the logo for Lotto Extra manages to mix the lower case "l" (el) mistake with the correct capital "E" for Extra, thus adding capitalisation inconsistency within the logos themselves as a further issue.
New catchphrase at the top right of the playslip front: "The UK's biggest millionaire making game" (despite being above the Lotto Extra logo, this is actually referring to the main Lotto game). This really means "creates the most UK millionaires per game" or possibly "has the biggest sales of a UK millionare-creating game", but it doesn't mean "creates the biggest UK millionaires" (that's theoretically Euro Millions of course, though it hasn't actually happened yet).
Text on both sides of the playslip is now in a fairly bright purple colour.
Boards now alternate between light purple (1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th) and white (2nd, 4th and 6th) panel backgrounds.
The URL for the BBC website's lottery page is printed on the back of the playslip and is incorrect. It's shown as www.bbc.co.uk/Lottery when it should be www.bbc.co.uk/lottery/ instead.
Maximum cost: £224.

Lottery playslips are printed by Stralfors UK, the British branch of its Swedish parent company. The following text is reproduced without permission from the back of a third-generation UK National Lottery playslip:

How To Play The UK National Lottery

Each playslip allows you to play up to 7 BOARDS at £1.00 per board.
Select 6 numbers per board by placing a heavy vertical mark in each chosen number box. A board represents one selection. If you wish to use Lucky Dip on any board, simply mark the 'Lucky Dip' box on that board. DO NOT use red ink. If you make a mistake, mark the VOID box and use another board. DO NOT ERASE.
Next select which draw(s) you wish to enter by marking one of the 'Both', 'Wed.' or 'Sat.' boxes.
To play the same numbers for more than one consecutive week, mark the appropriate box under "No. of WEEKS". You can play up to 8 weeks in advance, Wednesday or Saturday draws only, or both (£1.00 per board per draw).
You will receive a ticket from the Lottery Terminal. You are responsible for checking the draw numbers, number of selections, draw day(s) and draw date(s) on your ticket before you leave the retailer to ensure they are the ones you selected.

How To Win

On each draw date, there will be a random drawing of 6 main numbers and 1 bonus number from the numbers 1 to 49.
If one of your 6-number selections on your ticket:
- matches the first 6 main numbers in any order, you win or share the jackpot prize.
- matches any 5 of the first 6 main numbers drawn in any order plus the bonus number, you win a Match 5 + bonus number prize. Remember, the bonus number is valid only for the Match 5 + bonus number prize.
- matches any 5 or 4 numbers from the first 6 main numbers drawn in any order, you win the Match 5 or Match 4 prize respectively.
- matches any 3 numbers from the first 6 main numbers drawn, you win the Match 3 prize.

Allocation Of Prize Money

The game promoter determines a prize structure, the text of which may be obtained from The National Lottery and at points of sale, and allocates for that purpose a sum not less than 45% of all amounts played for each draw. The amount of each prize as a result of a draw is calculated in accordance with the prize structure then in force.

How To Claim Your Prize

Prizes must be claimed within 180 days after the relevant draw date on the ticket.
Prizes must be claimed in the manner stated on the back of the ticket.

The National Lottery Game Rules

The Rules and Procedures of The National Lottery game, as amended from time to time, govern this game and the sale of the ticket to you. Prize winnings and all aspects of the game are subject to these Rules and Procedures. You may inspect a copy at every National Lottery Game retailer or obtain a copy by telephoning the National Lottery line on 0645 100000.
The ticket issued is the only valid proof of your number selection and is the only valid receipt for claiming a prize. THE PLAYSLIP IS NOT A VALID RECEIPT.
The promoter accepts no responsibility for tickets cancelled in error or for the entries on the face of the ticket differing from the central computer entries.
Tickets shall not be sold to, nor prizes claimed by, persons under the age of 16.
The National Lottery game is run and promoted by Camelot Group plc under licenses granted by the Director General of The National Lottery.