On Friday, February 20, 2026, anticipation swept across the United Kingdom and beyond as the National Lottery’s EuroMillions draw dangled a staggering Super Jackpot prize of £113 million. For countless hopefuls, the evening promised not just the thrill of possibility, but a shot at life-changing fortune—enough to buy a dream home, splurge on a luxury car, or embark on world-spanning adventures. For others, the draw was a cherished ritual, a moment to imagine what could be if the numbers aligned just right.
The EuroMillions draw, held every Tuesday and Friday, is a fixture in the lottery calendar, but this particular Friday’s event stood out for its sheer scale. According to the National Lottery, the top prize was one of the largest in recent memory, and with ticket sales brisk until the 7:30pm cutoff, excitement was palpable in newsagents and online alike. The cost of a ticket—£2.50—bought not just a chance at the main draw, but automatic entry into the UK Millionaire Maker, a raffle that guarantees at least one UK player a cool £1 million win every draw.
As the clock ticked toward the evening’s draws, the first event up was the Thunderball, at 8pm. This draw, which takes place every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, offers a top prize of £500,000 for just a £1 ticket. The winning Thunderball numbers for February 20, 2026, were revealed as 1, 3, 4, 8, and 11, with the Thunderball itself being 3. For those who matched all five numbers plus the Thunderball, half a million pounds awaited—a life-altering sum in its own right, even as it was dwarfed by the EuroMillions jackpot looming just half an hour later.
At around 8:30pm, the main event arrived. The EuroMillions numbers were drawn, and the results flashed across television screens, websites, and social media feeds. The winning numbers: 13, 24, 28, 33, and 35, with the Lucky Stars 5 and 9. For those holding tickets, the next few moments were a blur of checking, double-checking, and—if fortune smiled—celebrating. As Mirror reported, “To win, ticket holders need all five main numbers and the two Lucky Stars to stake their claim.”
But the EuroMillions isn’t just about the headline jackpot. As outlined by Chronicle Live, matching five numbers plus one Lucky Star would net a player £130,554.30, while matching five numbers alone would still bring in a tidy £13,561.20. Even those who didn’t hit the jackpot could walk away with a significant windfall if their numbers came close. For many, the hope of even a smaller prize was enough to keep the dream alive.
Adding to the night’s excitement was the Millionaire Maker, a unique feature of the UK EuroMillions draw. Every ticket purchased automatically includes a code, and one of those codes is selected at random to award a guaranteed £1 million to a UK player. As Wales Online explained, “All players are entered into the UK Millionaire Makers and of all the entrants, one will get the £1m pay out.” For some, the Millionaire Maker is the real draw—a second chance at a life-changing sum, even if the main numbers don’t come up.
The EuroMillions’ Super Jackpot, while headline-grabbing, is just part of a broader tapestry of National Lottery games. Players can also try their luck with Lotto every Wednesday and Saturday, or the Set For Life game every Monday and Thursday, which offers winners £10,000 a month for 30 years. The variety of games means that, as Manchester Evening News put it, “plenty more opportunities to win cash if tonight is not your night.”
For regular players, the ritual is familiar: buy a ticket, check the numbers, and dream. For newcomers, the sheer scale of the EuroMillions jackpot can be dizzying. The overall jackpot can rise as high as £167 million, making it one of the largest lottery prizes in Europe. But even on nights when the top prize isn’t won, the excitement lingers—especially with the Millionaire Maker ensuring that at least one UK player’s life will change overnight.
As the draws concluded and the results were published, the reality set in for millions: most would not be millionaires, but the hope and anticipation would return with the next draw. For some, the Thunderball’s £500,000 prize was enough to spark joy and plans for the future. For others, the dream would have to wait until the next Tuesday or Friday.
The National Lottery’s EuroMillions and Thunderball draws are more than just games—they’re cultural events, moments that bring people together in shared anticipation and, sometimes, shared celebration. The accessibility of the games—tickets available in shops and online, draws broadcast live, and results instantly available—ensures that anyone can take part. And with each ticket, a new story begins: a story of hope, possibility, and, for a lucky few, extraordinary change.
As the dust settled on February 20, 2026, the numbers were clear, the winners soon to be notified, and the rest already looking ahead to the next chance. Whether it’s the dream of a Super Jackpot or the hope of a Millionaire Maker windfall, the National Lottery remains a fixture in British life—a reminder that sometimes, just sometimes, lightning really does strike.