The 49s lottery was first introduced in 1996 by 49s Limited. It was created to give players a different option from the National Lottery, which was the only lottery available in the UK at the time. The 49s lottery allowed more flexibility in choosing numbers and offered a variety of prize amounts.

It quickly became popular, and within a few years, it was one of the top lottery games in the UK. Its popularity grew because of its daily draws, allowing players to participate and potentially win every day. Also, the game gave players better chances of winning compared to the National Lottery.

Key details you should know about the 49s Lottery:

• It is a daily game, with two draws happening every day.
• Besides the jackpot, there are second, third, and fourth-place prizes.
• Players can choose to play either a six-number draw or a seven-number draw. The seven-number version includes a bonus ball, which offers an extra chance to win.
• The game uses a 6/49 format, meaning players choose six numbers from 1 to 49.
• The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 13,983,816, which are better than the odds for the National Lottery.
• Players can enter their chosen numbers for up to seven draws in a row, giving them multiple chances to win with the same numbers.
• The minimum jackpot starts at £100,000 and can roll over if no one wins, with a maximum jackpot reaching up to £2 million.