Luckiest Places in the UK

Disclaimer: Lottomart offers betting on the outcome of international lottery draws. We are not a lottery operator, nor are we connected in any way with the various lotteries upon which we offer betting.

The United Kingdom (UK from now on) is famous for its rich history, stunning landscapes and vibrant culture. The UK is also known for multiple Lottery offerings for players to test their luck and potentially win generous prizes. And while luck can strike anywhere at any time, certain places in the UK have garnered a reputation for being particularly fortunate when it comes to Lottery wins; others have gained a reputation for the opposite. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the luckiest (and unluckiest) places in the UK for Lottery players, where dreams have turned into reality for a select few lucky individuals and hopes have been shattered for others. Whether it’s the charm of the location, statistical anomalies, or simply the power of coincidence, these places have captured the imagination of Lottery enthusiasts countrywide. Let’s dive right into the fascinating world of Lottery hotspots in the UK.

What is Luck?

Luck (at least when referring to the Lottery) refers to the random chance or probability of winning a prize. By their very design, Lotteries are games of chance in which participants purchase Lotto Bets or select numbers to match them with the numbers drawn in the Lottery of their choice. However, a random selection process decides the outcome by drawing numbered balls or a computer-generated number set. This selection of numbers is typically entirely random, so each ticket or number combination has an equal chance of winning, regardless of any patterns, strategies, personal rituals or superstitions (such as picking out “lucky” numbers). So in that sense, luck plays a significant role in winning, although the odds are relatively low, while most participants don’t go on to win substantial prizes.

To summarise, luck is the unpredictable and random nature of Lottery outcomes. You can call it a force or factor that can influence results in your favour or just a statistical probability based on random chance. It’s clear, however, that winning this game of chance is determined by factors beyond one’s control.

Most “Lucky Places”

So what are some of the lucky places in the UK to win the Lottery? Since its launch in 1994, there have been 6,800 National Lottery draws, with 5,500 people winning a prize of £1 million or more. According to the National Lottery website, statistically, the luckiest towns in the UK are:

Number 1 = Birmingham (205 winners).
Number 2 = Belfast (174 winners).
Number 3 = Glasgow (158 winners).
Number 4 = Newcastle and Liverpool (136 winners).
Number 5 = Manchester (133 winners).
Number 6 = Cardiff (136 winners).
Number 7 = Peterborough (119 winners).
Number 8, 9, 10 = Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham (102 winners).

Doncaster narrowly misses the top ten list with 96 winners.

According to the same website, the Lottery created 383 new millionaires between 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 – an average of more than one a day.

Since we know you love statistics, here are additional intriguing figures from the National Lottery. Three regions stand out as the luckiest regarding millionaires per adult residents: Watford, Motherwell, and Romford, where a millionaire emerges for every 5,000 or fewer adults. Other notable locations in the top ten rankings for millionaires per capita include St Albans, Hull, Harrow, and Durham.

And what can we take away from this? The distribution of these wins among the adult population in towns and cities throughout the UK shows that luck permeates every corner of the country. Romford in Essex takes the top spot with an impressive 1 in 755 adults winning a substantial prize. Hot on its heels is Galashiels near the Scottish border, with 1 in 864 adults claiming a significant sum. In third place is Cleveland in Yorkshire, where 1 in 875 adults can claim to have won a life-altering sum.

Least “Lucky Places”

So a few statistics are bandying around regarding the luckiest places in the UK. Determining the “unluckiest” cities for Lottery draws is a tad more challenging, not least as lottery outcomes are random, and luck plays a significant role. However, if we consider cities where statistically fewer large jackpot wins get reported or cities with a smaller number of lottery millionaires, we can get a sense of places with relatively fewer “lucky” outcomes.

Northern Ireland is one area that seems relatively unlucky with the Lottery. According to the Manchester Evening News, the Irish territory has only produced 133 lottery millionaires and 788 big winners, meaning only 1 in 2,284 adults are in with the chance to win a National Lottery prize.

London is also considered a relatively unlucky territory regarding winning Lotto prizes. This may seem surprising given its size and population density, but The Sun newspaper believes that this is due to the sheer number of postcodes across all districts and boroughs. This means it’s statistically less likely to win despite the city’s size and density. Going back to the Manchester Evening News, they report that 1 in every 13,205 Londoners land a top Lottery prize, and only 1 in 1,084 of those win one of the top prizes.

Why Are Some Places Luckier Than Others?

Lottery outcomes are determined by random number generators, ensuring that the winning numbers are selected entirely by chance. By this logic, no place is luckier than another. Still, the perception that some UK areas are luckier than others when it comes to Lottery wins does exist and is a result of several factors. First, it depends on statistical probabilities. We’ve already mentioned London. Due to its sheer size and scope, the chance of winning a significant Lotto prize is less than in other areas.

Second, it depends on the number of tickets sold. This can vary significantly from area to area. Areas with larger populations or higher participation rates in Lotto Draws will naturally have more winners simply due to the increased number of purchased tickets. So while certain areas may have a higher concentration of Lottery winners, this can often be attributed to random chance and the number of people playing the Lottery in those areas.

Third, people tend to notice and remember Lottery winners from their area more than those from elsewhere. Perception plays a big part as well. Lotto winners tend to consider their area one of the lucky ones in the country. Such is the case of Celeste Cole, a retired teacher from Birmingham who won £3.6m in July 2022. This drawing of attention to Birmingham as a lucky city can also give outside people the impression that Birmingham is indeed a lucky city. Given the number of Brummie winners over the years, however, residents could be forgiven for thinking that! This can create an illusion of certain areas being luckier when, in reality, the distribution of winners is random and based on chance.

In summary, Lottery games are designed to be random and fair, and the organisations overseeing these games take active measures to quash bias or favouritism towards any particular region. There’s no factual evidence to back up the perceived differences between the areas. Indeed, they are more likely the result of statistical variations and human perception.

From lucky locations to digits, we also have an article that breaks down ‘Are There Lucky Numbers In The Lottery?‘.

Bet On The Lotteries at Lottomart

Players can bet on the outcome of several worldwide Lotteries at Lottomart. Here are some of our most popular Lotto products:

Irish Lotto = based on the Irish Lotto Draw held in Dublin every Wednesday and Saturday, Line Bets start at just £2.50 for a potential the minimum jackpot of €2m.
Mega Millions = based on the Mega Millions draw held each Tuesday and Friday. Line Bets start at £3, while potential jackpots can run into the billions!
Great British Lotto = based on the UK Lotto held every Wednesday and Saturday, Line Bets begin at £2, and potential prizes can run into the tens of millions.
Europe Millions = one of our most popular draws, the Europe Millions draw takes place every Tuesday and Friday. Line Bets start at £2.50 and potential jackpots can run into the tens of millions.

The above represents just a fraction of all the great Lotto products we have on the Lottomart site. Head on over there right now to see what else we have on offer that you think you might like to have a go at!

What’s Different with Lotto Betting?

Lottomart is not a lottery operator, nor are we connected in any way with the various lotteries upon which we offer betting. Some Lottomart draws are based on underlying lottery draws and also follow the jackpot and select secondary prizes. Mega Millions and US Powerball are examples of this. Please consult lotto rules for details.

Some Lottomart draws are based on official underlying lottery draws but have jackpots and prizes set by us. Quick Lotto Plus and Quick Lotto are examples of this. Again, please consult lotto rules for details.

When you win, the money is paid by Lottomart or our insurers, not the official lottery. Jackpot and select secondary payouts are backed by insurance providers to guarantee payouts to winners. Non-insured prizes are paid by Lottomart directly.