When you’re checking your Lotto ticket after the draw, it’s natural to feel a touch of anticipation if you’ve matched just one main number and the Bonus Ball. With the way prizes are structured, though, it can be unclear whether that result leads to anything.
You might have heard the Bonus Ball mentioned or seen it highlighted on your slip, but its purpose is often misunderstood. Whether you’re new to Lotto or just want a straight answer, it helps to know how matches are counted and how prizes are awarded.
In this guide, you’ll find a clear explanation without jargon, covering what counts as a win, what the Bonus Ball is for, and how prize tiers work. If you’ve ever looked at one main number plus the Bonus Ball and wondered what it means for your pocket, you’ll find your answer here.
How Do Lotto Prize Tiers Work?
With the UK National Lottery Lotto, prizes are split into levels known as prize tiers. Each tier is tied to how many of your chosen numbers match the ones drawn.
To play, you pick six main numbers. During the draw, six main balls and one Bonus Ball are selected at random. The Bonus Ball only matters if you have already matched five of the six main numbers.
Each tier is linked to a specific combination of matched numbers. Matching two main numbers gets you a free Lotto Lucky Dip for a future draw. Match three and you receive a fixed cash prize, with amounts increasing as you match more numbers, up to the jackpot for all six main numbers.
The Bonus Ball comes into play if your ticket matches exactly five of the main numbers. If those five are on your ticket, and the remaining number matches the Bonus Ball, you qualify for a higher prize in its own tier.
Some prizes are fixed, and the jackpot can roll over when it is not won. In Must Be Won draws, prize funds can roll down to boost other tiers. So where does one main number plus the Bonus Ball fit into this picture?
Does 1 Number Plus Bonus Ball Win Anything?
If your ticket shows one main number and the Bonus Ball, it can catch the eye, but it is not a winning combination.
Under Lotto rules, cash prizes start at three main numbers. The Bonus Ball only has an effect when you have matched five main numbers, as it unlocks a separate, higher tier in that specific situation.
Matching one main number plus the Bonus Ball does not qualify for any prize. There is no payout or free entry for this outcome, as it is not one of the recognised winning combinations.
What Counts As A Match In UK Lotto Draws?
A match happens when a number on your ticket is the same as one of the six main numbers drawn. The draw selects six main balls from a pool of 59, followed by a separate Bonus Ball from the remaining numbers.
It is not about the order in which numbers appear. As long as your ticket includes the same numbers as those drawn, they count as matches. Two main numbers is the minimum for any return, which is a free Lucky Dip, and prize values increase as more of your numbers line up.
The Bonus Ball is separate from the six main numbers. It does not help you reach the lower prize tiers and becomes relevant only in the specific case of five main matches.
With that in mind, it is easier to see how the Bonus Ball affects prizes when players are close to the top tier.
How The Bonus Ball Affects Prize Distribution
The Bonus Ball is drawn after the six main Lotto numbers and comes from the same pool. Its role is focused. It exists to create a distinct prize tier for tickets that have exactly five main numbers.
If your line has five main numbers and also matches the Bonus Ball, you move from the five-match tier to the higher five-plus-Bonus tier. That prize sits below the jackpot but above five main numbers on their own.
For any result with fewer than five main numbers, the Bonus Ball has no effect. It does not add a new tier, nor does it attach a smaller prize to combinations below that level.
This targeted role makes the Bonus Ball unique in Lotto’s structure, rewarding those who fall just short of matching all six main numbers.
Examples Of Winning Combinations And Typical Payouts
One Main Number Plus Bonus Ball: Typical Payout Outcome
Here is how a common scenario is treated if you have one main number and the Bonus Ball on your ticket.
If the drawn numbers were 11, 18, 27, 36, 42, 47 and the Bonus Ball was 52, and your ticket showed 27 and 52, there would be no prize. The Bonus Ball only enhances the outcome when it is paired with five main matches.
The recognised winning combinations are:
- Two main numbers: a free Lucky Dip
- Three main numbers: £30
- Four main numbers: about £140
- Five main numbers: about £1,750
- Five main numbers plus the Bonus Ball: about £1,000,000
- Six main numbers: the jackpot
These figures show why one main number plus the Bonus Ball is not listed as a winning outcome.
How To Check Your Ticket If You Have One Main Number And Bonus Ball?
When reading your ticket, compare your six chosen numbers with the six main numbers from the draw. If only one of them appears and you have also chosen the Bonus Ball, the result can feel promising at first glance. Under the prize structure explained above, though, it is not a winning combination.
Official results are available on the National Lottery website and app, at participating retailers, and on draw-night broadcasts. The app or a retailer terminal can scan your ticket and confirm the outcome for the exact draw date shown on your slip.
If your ticket shows one main number alongside the Bonus Ball, there is no prize for that outcome under Lotto rules. Please play responsibly. For advice or support, visit begambleaware.org.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.