Thunderball Online Game Procedures

Edition 14 effective 1st February 2024

When the Thunderball Game is played online (including by Direct Debit or via the App), these Game Procedures (the “Procedures”), the Rules for Draw-Based Games Played Online (the “Rules”) and the Account Terms apply.

If there is any conflict between the documents, the Rules will take priority followed by the Procedures and then the Account Terms.

When the Thunderball Game is played at retailers, the Thunderball Game Procedures set out in the Players' Guide, and the Rules For Draw-Based Games Played at Retailers apply.

You can view all National Lottery Rules and Procedures on the National Lottery website. You can also ask for copies by calling our Customer Care Team on 0333 234 44 33^∞ (please see the Telephone Enquiries section for call charges), or by writing to the National Lottery, PO Box 251, Watford WD18 9BR.

All words and phrases in these Procedures that begin with a capital letter and have specific meaning are explained below or in Section (G).

Contents

• (A) Introduction to the Thunderball Game

  • (1) The Thunderball Game costs £1 to play.
  • (2) Thunderball Draws take place four times a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

• (B) Playing Thunderball online

  • (1) To play the Thunderball Game on the Site or App, You should fill in the interactive play slip for the Thunderball Game by following the instructions provided.
  • (2) A 'week', when mentioned in the number of weeks section, will start on the first available Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday Thunderball Draw that Your Thunderball Entry is entered into and will end immediately before (and excluding) the Thunderball Draw on the same day of the following calendar week.
  • (3) If You have used Your Account to buy a Thunderball Entry and Your Selection is not shown in Your “My account” section of the Site or App, then that Selection will not have been entered into any Thunderball Draw.

• (C) How to win in the Thunderball Game

  • If Your Thunderball Entry matches any of the Prize categories set out in the table in Section (D)(1), You will win a Prize in that Prize category, providing the requirements of the Rules and these Procedures are met.

• (D) Prize categories, Prizes and odds of winning

  • (1) The table below sets out and explains the Prize categories, the approximate odds of winning and the Prize value for each Prize category.

    Prizes table

    Prize Categories	Approximate Odds of Winning	Prize (subject to Prize capping explained in Section (D)(4) below)
    Match 5 & Thunderball = First five numbersa in one Thunderball Entry matched to the Main Numbers and the Thunderball numberb in that Thunderball Entry matched to the Thunderball	1:8,060,598	£500,000
    Match 5 = First five numbers in one Thunderball Entry matched to the Main Numbers	1:620,046	£5,000
    Match 4 & Thunderball = Four of the first five numbers in one Thunderball Entry matched from the Main Numbers and the Thunderball number in that Thunderball Entry matched to the Thunderball	1:47,416	£250
    Match 4 = Four of the first five numbers in one Thunderball Entry matched from the Main Numbers	1:3,648	£100
    Match 3 & Thunderball = Three of the first five numbers in one Thunderball Entry matched from the Main Numbers and the Thunderball number in that Thunderball Entry matched to the Thunderball	1:1,437	£20
    Match 3 = Three of the first five numbers in one Thunderball Entry matched from the Main Numbers	1:111	£10
    Match 2 & Thunderball = Two of the first five numbers in one Thunderball Entry matched from the Main Numbers and the Thunderball number in that Thunderball Entry matched to the Thunderball	1:135	£10
    Match 1 & Thunderball = One of the first five numbers in one Thunderball Entry matched from the Main Numbers and the Thunderball number in that Thunderball Entry matched to the Thunderball	1:35	£5
    Match Thunderball = the Thunderball number in one Thunderball Entry matched to the Thunderball	1:29	£3
    Any Prize	1:13

    ^a the first five numbers in a Thunderball Entry are the five numbers chosen by You from the numbers one to thirty-nine inclusive

    ^b the Thunderball number in a Thunderball Entry is the one number chosen by You from the numbers one to fourteen inclusive

  • (2) On average, 52% of Thunderball sales will be available to be paid out in Prizes to players. Due to the fixed Prize nature of the Thunderball Game, there is no rollover of any Prize monies if the top Prize is not won.
  • (3) Except in the exceptional circumstances described in Section (D)(4) below, all Prizes in a Thunderball Draw will be paid in full.
  • (4) Prize capping (which means Prizes may be less than stated) will occur in very limited circumstances and only if the total value of Prizes payable in a Thunderball Draw is more than four times the total value of entries in that Thunderball Draw. If Prize capping takes place, a calculation will be made to identify which Prize categories will be affected (meaning that Prizes in that Prize category cannot be paid in full). This calculation will divide the total value of entries in that Thunderball Draw by the odds of winning in a Thunderball Draw for each Prize category (as set out in the table above). The number produced by this calculation will then be divided by 0.132205^c to produce a figure (the "Calculated Number"). If the number of Prizes in any Prize category is greater than the Calculated Number for that Prize category, the Prize category will be capped. The reduced Prize amount payable will be calculated as set out in Section (D)(5) below.

    ^c The figure 0.132205 represents the Prize payment percentage for the Thunderball Game of 52.882% divided by the Prize cap value of 400%.

  • (5)
  • (a) If Prize capping takes place, the total amount of funds available for Prizes across all Prize categories will be four times the total value of entries in that Thunderball Draw.
  • (b) If only one Prize category must be capped, the value of Prizes in uncapped Prize categories will be set aside and the remainder of the funds will be divided equally between the winning entries in the capped Prize category.
  • (c) If more than one Prize category must be capped, after the value of Prizes in uncapped Prize categories has been set aside, the remainder of the funds will be divided between the capped Prize categories in proportion to the total value of Prizes that would have been won in each of those Prize categories if capping had not occurred. The resulting amount in each capped Prize category will be divided equally between the winning entries in that capped Prize category. Capped Prizes will be rounded down to the nearest £1.
  • (d) Prizes in Prize categories which are not capped will be paid in full.

• (E) Cancelling a Thunderball Entry

  • (1) You cannot cancel a Thunderball Entry bought on the Site or App after You have accepted the Selection(s) displayed on the "Confirm Play Slip" screen of the Site or App.
  • (2) If You get two or more Lucky Dip Selections that contain the same six numbers for the same Thunderball Draw, You should telephone our Customer Care Team within 120 minutes of buying the relevant Thunderball Entry(s), or before the close of sales for that Thunderball Draw, whichever is the earlier. Allwyn may then, at its discretion and following investigation, refund to Your Account an amount equal to the cost of the duplicate Thunderball Entry(s).

• (F) Postponement

  Where Allwyn considers it reasonable to do so, it may postpone a Thunderball Draw for as long as it considers to be appropriate in the circumstances. In that case (by way of example only, where there has been a significant disruption to the sale of Thunderball Entries) Allwyn may continue to sell entries for that Thunderball Draw beyond the normal Draw break for Thunderball.

• (G) Definitions

  Account:

  An account maintained by a Player on Allwyn's Computer System.

  Allwyn:

  Allwyn Entertainment Ltd, a company registered in England & Wales.

  Allwyn's Computer System:

  The computer systems used by or on behalf of Allwyn from time to time to operate National Lottery games, administer Accounts, facilitate Thunderball Entries and pay Prizes.

  App:

  The National Lottery Android and/or iOS application.

  Cancelled Thunderball Draw:

  Any Thunderball Draw which does not take place because of the expiry, suspension or withdrawal of either Allwyn's licence from the Commission to run The National Lottery or Allwyn's licence from the Commission to promote the Thunderball Game.

  Commission:

  The Gambling Commission (being the body appointed to regulate The National Lottery) or any other body appointed to regulate The National Lottery from time to time.

  Customer Care Team:

  Allwyn's helpline for interactive Players, contact details of which are set out at the end of these Procedures. See the Site for the Customer Care Team's current opening hours.

  Lucky Dip:

  Six different numbers (being five numbers from the numbers one to thirty-nine inclusive and one number from the numbers one to fourteen inclusive) which are randomly selected by Allwyn's Computer System on Your behalf.

  Main Numbers:

  The first five numbers randomly chosen at a Thunderball Draw from the numbers one to thirty-nine inclusive.

  Prize:

  A prize won by an eligible player in the Thunderball Game.

  Selection:

  One set of six numbers chosen by You to play the Thunderball Game, being five numbers from the numbers one to thirty-nine inclusive and one number from the numbers one to fourteen inclusive, or a Lucky Dip for the Thunderball Game.

  Site:

  The website national-lottery.co.uk.

  Thunderball:

  The one number randomly selected as part of a Thunderball Draw from the numbers one to fourteen inclusive.

  Thunderball Draw:

  The process which results in the random selection by Allwyn of a set of winning numbers for the Thunderball Game.

  Thunderball Entry:

  An entry into the Thunderball Game which has been registered as an entry on Allwyn's Computer System.

  You:

  The holder of an Account who is eligible to buy Thunderball Entries using that Account and whose Account (and/or Direct Debit, as applicable) has not been terminated, cancelled, suspended or closed.

• Contact Numbers and Addresses

  Telephone Enquiries:

  Customer Care Team: 0333 234 44 33^∞ (0370 737 3983 for complaints).

  For the hard of hearing using Minicom equipment, please call 0370 737 8249.

  Calls cost no more than calls to 01 and 02 numbers. If your phone tariff offers inclusive calls to landlines, calls to 03 numbers will be included on the same basis.

  E-mail

  help@national-lottery.co.uk

  Website

  www.national-lottery.co.uk

  General Written Enquiries:

  The National Lottery
  PO Box 251
  Watford
  WD18 9BR

  National Lottery Regional Centre Addresses:

  Watford (Allwyn’s Head Office)

  The National Lottery
  Tolpits Lane
  Watford
  Hertfordshire
  WD18 9RN
  Tel: 01923 425000

  Liverpool

  The National Lottery
  5 Tiger Court
  Kings Drive
  Kings Business Park
  Prescot
  Knowsley
  Liverpool
  L34 1BH
  Tel: 0151 236 1796

  © Gambling Commission 2024