How Often Is Set For Life Won? Number of Winners Per Year
Set For Life is one of the UK National Lottery’s most talked-about draw-based games. But how often does someone actually win it?
Whether you’re simply curious or thinking about buying a ticket, this blog can help you understand what prizes are on offer, and what happens if you win.
We’ll break down the numbers, explain how the prize structure works, and share some real stories from Set For Life winners. If you’re new to lottery games or just want a clearer picture, this guide will explain everything in plain terms.
Let’s take a closer look at the Set For Life game, starting with whether anyone’s actually won it.
Has Anyone Actually Won Set For Life?
Yes, people have won Set For Life – including both top-tier and lower-tier prizes. The game has been creating winners since it launched in March 2019.
For example, in May 2025, Olivia Love, a 36-year-old mum from Glasgow, won £10,000 every month for a year. She’s now focusing on building a business as a wedding content creator.
In February 2025, James Evans from Derbyshire won the full top prize: £10,000 every month for 30 years. After leaving his landscaping job, he’s now enjoying life on the ski slopes.
Other winners include Adrian Brennan, who won £10,000 a month for a year in January 2025, and Sandra Hall, who scooped the full 30-year prize in June 2025.
These real-life examples show that winners do exist. While not every player will win a prize, some do – and those who win large amounts often choose to share their stories.
How Often Is Set For Life Won?
Set For Life draws take place every Monday and Thursday. That’s around 104 draws a year.
Each draw gives players the chance to win one of several potential prize tiers – including the top prize of £10,000 per month for 30 years.
The number of winners in each draw varies, as it depends entirely on how many tickets are sold and which numbers are drawn. Lottery games like this are based on random outcomes, so nothing can be predicted.
In recent years, the number of top prize winners has generally ranged from around 4 to 10 per year. For example, by mid-2025, there had already been multiple top-tier winners, with others landing second-tier prizes of £10,000 a month for a year.
While wins for the very top tier are less common, lower-tier prizes are usually claimed much more regularly – sometimes by thousands of players per draw.
Keep in mind: all National Lottery draws are random games of chance. Each line you buy gives you a chance to win, but no outcome can ever be guaranteed.
Set For Life Prizes Explained
Set For Life offers multiple prize tiers. The more matching numbers you have, the bigger the prize. Here’s how it works:
- 5 main numbers + Life Ball: £10,000 every month for 30 years
- 5 main numbers: £10,000 every month for 1 year
- 4 main numbers + Life Ball: £250
- 4 main numbers: £50
- 3 main numbers + Life Ball: £30
- 3 main numbers: £20
- 2 main numbers + Life Ball: £10
- 2 main numbers: £5
So even if you don’t win a monthly payment, there are still smaller possible prizes to be won.
You can check your numbers easily online. Just go to the official National Lottery website, find the “Set For Life Results” page, enter your numbers, and it’ll show whether you’ve won anything. You can also click through to see recent results.
Can You Take The Full Set For Life Prize As One Payment?
No, the top two Set For Life prizes – £10,000 a month for 30 years or £10,000 a month for 1 year – are paid in monthly instalments. They cannot be taken as a lump sum.
This structure is part of what makes Set For Life different from other lottery games. Instead of a one-off jackpot, the idea is to provide a regular income over time. The payment dates are typically agreed when the win is processed.
If you win a lower-tier prize – for example, £250 or £20 – that’s paid as a one-time payment. If you played online and win up to £500, the money is simply added to your National Lottery account.
What Happens To The Prize If A Winner Passes Away?
If a Set For Life winner passes away before receiving all their monthly payments, what happens next depends on whether they had a valid will and how far into the prize term they were.
If the winner had a will, the remaining prize payments may be passed on to the person or people named as beneficiaries in that will. The estate – which includes all property, money, and assets the person owned – would be handled according to their instructions. The payments would not automatically continue as monthly instalments, but may instead be paid out as a lump sum, depending on how much of the prize was left and the terms agreed at the time of the win.
If the winner did not have a will, the estate will be distributed according to the rules of intestacy. This means the law decides who inherits what, usually starting with close family members, such as a spouse or children. In this case, the remaining prize money might still be paid to the estate, but it could take longer to process.
The National Lottery assesses each situation individually and will follow the rules set out when the prize was originally claimed. It’s worth noting that some of the remaining payments may not be guaranteed – this depends on how far into the prize term the winner was and the specific prize conditions.
If you’ve won a Set For Life prize and want to plan for the future, it may be helpful to speak to a solicitor or qualified financial adviser. They can help you make sure your wishes are clearly recorded and legally protected.
Winning Set For Life More Than Once: Is It Possible?
Yes, technically, you can win Set For Life more than once – if you buy multiple entries and they all happen to match winning combinations. However, the odds of this happening are extremely low.
Set For Life is a game of chance, and each line you play is an independent entry.
There’s no strategy or method that will increase your chances of winning. Choosing birthdays or ‘lucky’ numbers doesn’t make a win more or less likely – all number combinations have the same chance.
How Do Set For Life Odds Compare To Other Games?
Set For Life has fixed odds for each potential prize tier. This means that your chances of winning stay the same, no matter how many people enter each draw. The odds of winning the top prize – matching all 5 main numbers plus the Life Ball – are around 1 in 15,339,390.
Here are the odds for all prize tiers:
- 5 main numbers + Life Ball: 1 in 15,339,390
- 5 main numbers: 1 in 1,704,377
- 4 main numbers + Life Ball: 1 in 73,045
- 4 main numbers: 1 in 8,116
- 3 main numbers + Life Ball: 1 in 1,782
- 3 main numbers: 1 in 198
- 2 main numbers + Life Ball: 1 in 134
- 2 main numbers: 1 in 15
Compared to other UK National Lottery games, Set For Life offers a unique prize format. For example, the Lotto has a top prize odds of about 1 in 45 million, while the EuroMillions has much longer odds for the potential jackpot – around 1 in 139 million. However, both of those games offer large lump-sum jackpots, whereas Set For Life focuses on monthly payments over time.
That means the odds of winning the top prize in Set For Life are shorter than in the EuroMillions, but the prize is spread out over 30 years instead of paid all at once.
There’s no single “best” lottery game – it depends on what you’re looking for. Some people prefer the possibility of regular monthly payments, while others may be drawn to one-off jackpot prizes.
Understanding the odds and possible prize structures can help you make a decision that suits your own preferences. Remember, all lottery games are random, so outcomes can never be predicted or guaranteed.
If you decide to play Set For Life or any lottery game, it’s important to treat it as a form of entertainment – not a way to make money. There’s never any guarantee of a win, and outcomes are completely random.
Always set a limit before playing and stick to it. You can take breaks or use deposit limits through your National Lottery account to help manage how often and how much you play. For more support, visit GambleAware.org or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.
**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.