How instant wins work (and why you can win before draw night)
Most of our competitions have two ways to win: instant wins, which you find out about straight away, and a main draw that happens live when the competition closes. Here's how the instant part works.
What is an instant win?
When we set up a competition, we pick certain ticket numbers in advance and attach prizes to them. These can be cash, site credit or physical prizes. If one of your tickets matches one of those numbers, you've won that prize as soon as your entry goes through. You don't have to wait for the draw.
That's why you'll see names like "Silver Stack" or "Nice Win" on our instant winners page. Those are real players who matched a winning number that day.
Do instant wins affect the main draw?
No. Winning an instant prize doesn't take you out of the main draw. Your tickets stay in, so one ticket can win twice.
How do I know the odds?
Each competition page shows the total number of tickets and how many instant wins there are. Some competitions also show the odds outright. The Vault and The Big Score, for example, both work out at roughly 1 in 5 tickets winning something. Our Bonfire Night comp, Sky Burst, is about 1 in 28. The odds also depend on how many tickets sell, so the competition page is always the place to check.
Browse instant win competitions
Scratch cards
Time to Scratch works the same way, except you scratch your ticket to see what's underneath, with up to £750 cash up for grabs.
How do I get paid?
You'll see your instant wins in your account, and site credit can go straight back into more tickets. How each type of prize is paid out (cash, credit or a physical prize) is set out in our terms.
Can I enter for free?
Yes. Every competition has a free postal entry route, and postal entries go into the same draw with the same chance of winning as paid ones. Here's how to enter by post.