Do Shops Get Money for Selling Winning Lottery Tickets?
Ever wondered what happens behind the counter when someone buys a winning lottery ticket at your local newsagents or supermarket? It is a question that pops up more often than you might think, after all, lottery retailers play a big part in making that moment possible.
You might be curious if the shop that sold the winning ticket gets a share of the win, a bonus, or any sort of reward. It is not always as straightforward as you would expect.
In this post, we will walk through what happens in the UK, what benefit shops receive, and why things look different online. Read on to learn more.
Do Retailers Get a Bonus for Selling a Winning Ticket?
If you are buying a lottery ticket in a local shop, you might be interested to know what is in it for the retailer. In some countries, retailers do get a cash reward for selling winning tickets. In the UK, things are different.
Retailers are not given a bonus or a percentage from big wins. If a newsagent sells a ticket that ends up winning millions on the National Lottery, there is no automatic payout to the shop. The arrangement is simple and sits within UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) rules.
Shops do earn a small commission on every lottery ticket or scratchcard they sell. This is usually around 5% of the ticket price. For example, if you buy a £2 ticket, the shop might receive about 10p as a sales commission. That commission is the main benefit of taking part, rather than extra rewards for selling a winning ticket.
Online lottery sales work differently, because there is no retailer involved. The revenue from online sales stays with the operator.
If you do decide to try your hand at lottery games, remember to do so responsibly and within your means; never wager more than you can afford to lose.
How Much Money Do Shops Receive from a Jackpot Win?
If a shop sells a jackpot-winning ticket in the UK, it does not get a special payment or a share of the prize money. The prize goes to the ticket holder, not the retailer. This applies whether the win is for Lotto, EuroMillions, or another National Lottery game.
The commission a shop earns is the same regardless of the outcome. Selling a £2 ticket still brings in about 10p to the retailer, whether it wins nothing or the top prize. There is no extra sum for being the outlet that sold the jackpot ticket.
For scratchcards, the set-up is similar. Retailers receive commission on each sale but do not get a cut of any prize that is claimed. Some shops may see more footfall if they are known to have sold a winning ticket, but that is not an official payment.
Why Do Lottery Operators Reward Retailers?
Lottery operators rely on thousands of shops across the UK to keep tickets available on high streets and in smaller towns. Retailers do more than take payments. They keep terminals running, manage cash, check IDs where needed, process smaller wins within set claim limits, and answer basic customer questions about draws and scratchcards.
Commission is designed to recognise that work. It helps cover staff time, equipment use, space on the counter, and the day-to-day responsibilities that come with selling regulated products. Operators usually provide terminals, till integrations and point-of-sale materials, but the retailer still carries the ongoing effort of stocking, training and customer service.
There are no special bonuses for selling a jackpot ticket in the UK. Instead, the steady commission on each sale helps make it worthwhile for shops to offer lottery products alongside everything else they sell.
How Are Shop Bonuses Paid and Who Decides the Amount?
In the UK, shops do not get a separate bonus for selling a winning ticket. The payment they receive is the commission on each ticket or scratchcard sold, not a reward linked to wins.
The commission rate is set by the National Lottery operator within the regulatory framework overseen by the UKGC. The exact figures are written into the retailer agreement and are intended to stay consistent, regardless of whether any tickets sold in that shop later win a prize. Rates can vary slightly by product and are usually paid via the retailer’s settlement process, with clear reporting through terminal statements.
No additional money is given out for selling a jackpot or high-value ticket, and that applies equally to draw tickets and scratchcards. For online sales, there is no retailer commission because the operator handles the whole process directly under the same regulatory standards.
For shops, the position is straightforward: earnings come from standard commission on sales, not from the value of any win. Always keep responsible gambling practises in mind.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.
