The anticipation was palpable across the United Kingdom on Friday, October 17, 2025, as the National Lottery EuroMillions draw dangled a life-changing £25 million jackpot before hopeful players. For many, the dream of swapping the daily grind for a jet-set lifestyle was just a ticket away, and the buzz was amplified by recent stories of ordinary people whose lives had been transformed overnight by similar wins.
According to Manchester Evening News, this was the second EuroMillions draw of the week, and excitement was at fever pitch. The allure of tax-free riches was irresistible—imagine paying off debts, traveling the world, or even giving back to family and good causes. For some, that dream was about to become a reality. To claim the full jackpot, players needed to match all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars, a feat with odds of just 1 in 139,838,160, but even matching a subset of numbers could yield substantial rewards. Five main numbers and one Lucky Star would net £130,554.30, and five main numbers alone would bring in £13,561.20. Four main numbers plus two Lucky Stars still meant a tidy sum of £844.70.
As reported by The Sun, the winning EuroMillions numbers for October 17 were 13, 35, 39, 44, and 47, with Lucky Stars 3 and 5. The UK Millionaire Maker code, MJXT42228, guaranteed at least one new millionaire in the country. Meanwhile, the Thunderball draw, which offers a top prize of £500,000, produced the numbers 10, 14, 15, 20, 26, and Thunderball 5. For just £2.50 a ticket, every EuroMillions entry also included an automatic shot at the Millionaire Maker, making millionaires every week, as noted by Liverpool Echo.
The National Lottery has a long history of creating winners, with the first EuroMillions draw taking place on February 7, 2004, as a collaboration between France’s Française des Jeux, Spain’s Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, and the UK’s Camelot. Over the years, the UK has seen some truly staggering wins: £175 million in December 2020, £170,221,000 in October 2019, £161,653,000 in July 2011, and £148,656,000 in August 2012, to name just a few. The odds of winning any EuroMillions prize are 1 in 13, making even a modest win a real possibility for many players.
This October has been especially lucky for UK players. As Manchester Evening News highlighted, two UK-based ticket-holders had already claimed more than £25 million each earlier in the month—£26 million on October 3 and £25,701,358 on October 10. It’s no wonder that excitement for the October 17 draw reached such heights, with many wondering if the nation’s winning streak would continue.
But while the focus often lands on the headline-grabbing jackpots, there are countless stories of smaller, yet still life-altering, wins. Take the case of Valdet Bujupi from Cumbria, whose story was shared by Liverpool Echo. On September 5, 2025, Valdet, a dad-of-two, won £524,043.10 after buying a Lucky Dip ticket at the urging of his sweet-toothed three-year-old daughter. “Our daughter is very persistent when it comes to sweets and, despite trying to stand firm, on the third ‘please daddy’ I caved in and headed into the shop. I'm very pleased I did. If it hadn’t been for her sweet tooth I wouldn’t have bought that Lucky Dip ticket,” Valdet joked. The family’s plans now include a dream trip to New York, a visit to the London Eye, and helping Valdet’s mother in Kosovo. “Being able to help my mum enjoy her older years means so much to us both,” he said. “I always believed you have to be in it to win it, and while I only played from time to time, a month ago I dreamt I won The National Lottery. Was that a premonition? I don’t know but what I do know is that we're all over the moon and our daughter, who was already daddy’s princess, has been promoted to Queen.”
For those lucky enough to win big, the journey doesn’t end with the draw. According to Allwyn, the operator of The National Lottery, every winner is guided through a “secure, supportive, and confidential process” designed to help them manage their newfound fortune. From the moment a winning ticket is confirmed, a dedicated team of winners’ advisors steps in to provide emotional support, expert guidance, and access to professional financial advice. Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at The National Lottery, explained, “Everyone dreams of that huge win when they buy their National Lottery ticket - and for those lucky enough to experience it, we’re here to make sure it’s a positive and secure journey. From financial advice to emotional support, our role is to help winners take control of their new future with confidence.”
Of course, not every ticket holder checks their numbers right away, and some prizes go unclaimed for weeks. As reported by GB News, one National Lottery winner now has just five weeks remaining to collect their life-changing prize—a reminder to all players to check their tickets and claim any winnings before the deadline passes. Unclaimed prizes ultimately go toward funding National Lottery-supported projects across the UK, but for the individual, missing out on a jackpot would be a bitter pill to swallow.
For those who didn’t hit the jackpot this time, the excitement is far from over. EuroMillions draws take place every Tuesday and Friday, with Thunderball draws on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The Lotto draw, another popular game, offers a £7 million jackpot on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Tickets for EuroMillions remain at £2.50, and Thunderball tickets cost just £1. The next chance to change your life could be just days away.
As The Sun pointed out, the fantasy of handing in your notice and swapping the daily commute for champagne on a super yacht or lounging on a private beach in the Bahamas is what keeps millions coming back for more. The stories of past winners—whether anonymous or famous, like Colin and Chris Weir or Jane Park—serve as both inspiration and proof that lightning really can strike.
Whether it’s a modest win or a multimillion-pound jackpot, the National Lottery continues to offer hope, excitement, and the tantalizing possibility of a brighter future. For now, all eyes are on the next draw—and who knows, perhaps the next big winner is reading these very words, ticket in hand, wondering if their numbers will finally come up.
