Set For Life Rules & Regulations - Numbers, Draws & Prizes
When we think of a standard lottery game, the first thing that springs to mind is winning, followed by hitting the jackpot and doing the work. But Set For Life is very different from this.
It retains a loyal following since it provides a monthly income rather than a one-time bonus. But because the format is uncommon, you should understand how the rules work before handing over your £1.50. Here is a straightforward breakdown of the game and what happens when you win.
What Are the Set For Life Rules?
The game itself doesn’t take long to explain. First, you have to pick 5 numbers and then one more after picking the five. The 6th number is called the Life Ball, and then after selecting, just wait for the draw, which happens on Monday and Thursday. Now you will start winning even if you match 2 numbers, and if you match all 6, you hit the jackpot.
Set For Life Number Rules
First Set For Life lottery rules start with selecting your numbers, select any 5 numbers between 1-47 and then one from 1-10. There is no hard and fast rule; any number within the range will do.
You can repeat the old number, choose your lucky number or go for any way you like. You should also know that the last number, which is the Life Ball, plays a major role; it gets drawn separately, but it has the power of setting your prize to high.
Set For Life Draw Rules
Five balls come out of the main 1–47 machine, then one more comes out of the separate Life Ball machine. Results go live on the National Lottery site and app not long after.
Every so often the National Lottery also runs a Super Chance draw, where you can scoop the jackpot by matching just the five main numbers, no Life Ball required. These aren’t scheduled in advance on any regular pattern; they’re announced ahead of time when they’re happening, but otherwise the draw itself works the same way.
Set For Life Prize Rules
There are eight total prize tiers, and none of them change dependent on the number of tickets sold or the number of winners; all are predetermined. Two numbers get you £5, and the value climbs from there depending on how many matches you get and whether the Life Ball came up too.
Match four numbers and the Life Ball, for instance, and you’re looking at £250. The two highest tiers function somewhat differently from the others: you will receive £10,000 every month for a full year if you match all five numbers (without the Life Ball).
However, you will win the lottery if you are able to match all five numbers plus the Life Ball! That equates to £10,000 every month for 30 years, or a staggering £3.6 million in total.
Both of these are paid through an annuity rather than as a lump sum, and like every National Lottery prize, none of it is taxed. In the rare event that a draw produces far more jackpot winners than usual, that tier’s prize fund can be capped and split, though given the odds sit at roughly 1 in 15.3 million, it’s not something that comes up often.
Set For Life Ticket Rules
A single line costs £1.50 plus you can add more lines to the same ticket for more shots at the same draw. You choose whether to enter Monday, Thursday, or both, and you can also lock the same numbers in for several draws ahead of time rather than buying fresh each week. The one rule which is common in any lottery game, and this too is before playing, is that your age must be above 18.
What Happens If You Win Set For Life?
Smaller prizes are paid out much like any other National Lottery win, quickly and without much fuss. The two big prizes work differently: winners are set up with an annuity that pays £10,000 a month, either for one year or 30 years depending on which tier they’ve hit.
The sole regulation which is applicable to any lottery game and this is also before playing is that your age should be more than 18. And if a winner passes away before all the payments are made, whatever’s left is paid out to their estate as a lump sum.
Play online, and you’ll get an automatic notification if you’ve won; paper ticket holders need to check the numbers themselves and claim within the standard time limit.
Set For Life Rules FAQs
1. Can I choose the same numbers for several draws?
Yes, you can set your numbers once and have them entered into a run of upcoming draws, rather than picking them fresh every time.
2. Can I play more than one line?
Yes. One ticket can carry several different lines.
3. Can I use Lucky Dip?
Yes. A Lucky Dip line is eligible for every reward tier in the game.
4. Can I play Set For Life in advance?
Yes. You can lock a line into a set number of future draws at once, which saves you having to buy a new ticket every Monday and Thursday.
5. What happens to my ticket after the draw?
Check it against the published winning numbers once the draw’s done. Online entries are checked for you automatically and any winnings land in your account, while paper tickets need to be checked and claimed manually within the claim period.