Lottery Glossary

 

Lottery games are full of jargon that can confuse new players, so here’s a handy lottery glossary that provides easy to understand definitions of commonly used terms. By the time you’re read through this glossary you’ll be able to speak fluent Lotto with ease!

Bearer Instrument – Any item (including paper lottery tickets) that gives the person holding it the right of ownership. Regardless of who buys a paper lottery ticket, the person who has it in their possession can claim any prize it wins, so look after your tickets at all times!

Bonus Ball – A supplementary number drawn after the main numbers in some lotteries (for example, the UK Lotto game). It doesn’t affect the jackpot winner, but it can help a runner-up land a bigger prize.

Deadline – The date by which all lottery claims for a particular lottery draw must be made. If you miss the claims deadline you lose any rights to your prize.

Jackpot – The top prize in a lottery game, paid to players who match the maximum possible number of balls.

Lucky Dip – A random selection of lottery numbers provided by a random number generator (RNG). Also known as a Quick Pick in some games.

Lucky Star – One of two supplementary numbers used in the EuroMillions lottery game. Both of these must be matched in addition to the five main numbers to win the jackpot.

Play Slip – The slip of paper you need to complete in order to buy tickets from a traditional lottery retailer. These aren’t required when you buy Lotto tickets online.

Quick Pick – See Lucky Dip.

RNG – RNG stands for random number generator. This is a piece of software that is designed to generate numbers that are as close to being random as is currently possible.

Results – The numbers selected during an official lottery draw.

Rollover – The term used to describe what happens to a jackpot fund when no player wins it. The fund is normally rolled over and added to the fund for the next draw.

Scratchcard – Instant win games that require players to scratch silver coloured panels away from a piece of card in order to reveal if they have won or not.

Terminal – The machines that prints and checks lottery tickets in a traditional retail outlet.

Ticket – The piece of paper you get as proof that you have entered a lottery game. Online players get an email which serves as a “virtual ticket”.

Winner – Someone who wins a cash prize by playing lottery games. All lottery players aspire to become winners, and that’s why we play!

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