Builders and teachers win big as lucky National Lottery millionaires in 2022

Builders and teachers were the luckiest professions among National Lottery players in a year that saw more than one millionaire made every day.

The luckiest star sign for players was Cancer, while 39 was the lotto ball that cropped up most often in jackpot-winning combinations, appearing 17 times, operator Camelot said.

Throughout 2022, 375 players become millionaires, sharing £1.3bn between them.

Gloucestershire couple Joe and Jess Thwaite won £184m in the EuroMillions draw on May 10 – becoming Britain’s biggest-ever National Lottery winners.

But they were knocked off the top spot a few months later when an anonymous ticket-holder scooped £195,707,000 in a July EuroMillions draw.

More than £4.5bn was paid out in prize money in total, with 782 players winning at least £50,000.

Camelot said builders had once again come out on top for the luckiest occupation, followed by teachers, drivers, retail workers and administration staff.

The lotto operator said Leo and Aries were joint-second luckiest when it came to star signs.

Following 39 as the luckiest numbers were 21, 13, 50 and 58.

Ball number eight appeared least often in winning selections, at just five times.

Andy Carter, Camelot’s senior winners’ advisor at The National Lottery, said, “It’s been the busiest year of millionaire-making, including creating the biggest winners we have ever seen.

“Supporting our amazing players through these life-changing events is a privilege.”

The National Lottery said it has raised a total of £47bn for its Good Causes, with more than £1.9bn being raised in the last reported financial year to March 2022.

Camelot said: “From helping projects making a difference in communities across the country to supporting our athletes at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, every National Lottery ticket bought helped to fund hundreds of thousands of good cause projects.”