I don’t play the lottery very often. Maybe now and then if there’s a big jackpot or I’m feeling lucky. But the other day I came across something called the Betfred Nifty 50 on the interwebs.
What caught my eye? A huge headline that said you could win £5 million. And it wasn’t some once-a-week jackpot either—this game runs up to three times a day.
It looked like a lotto game, but it turns out it’s not your usual lottery ticket. Instead of entering a draw with other people, you place a bet on the numbers. If your numbers come up, you get a fixed payout based on what you bet and how many you got right.
BETFRED OFFER
GET £50 IN FREE BETS WHEN YOU BET £10
That was enough to get me interested. I gave it a go—and here’s what I found.
How Nifty 50 Works (In Plain English)
It’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it.
- You choose how many numbers you want to bet on—from 1 up to 6.
- You pick your numbers (or use Lucky Dip).
- Then you choose either the 6-ball draw or the 7-ball draw.
- The 7-ball draw gives you an extra chance with a bonus ball, but the prizes are smaller.
- Pick which draw to bet on—there are up to three per day.
- Choose your stake (the amount you want to bet).
- Place your bet.
Here’s the key bit:
If you bet £1 and match all 6 numbers in the 6-ball draw, you win £5 million.
That’s the top prize—and it’s not shared with anyone else. It’s a fixed payout. You don’t have to split it like with the National Lottery.
You can bet as little as 10p if you want, but the payout drops in line with your stake. So if you bet 50p and match 6 numbers, you’d win £2.5 million.
What It Was Like to Play
I picked the 6-ball draw and used Lucky Dip to get random numbers. I placed a small bet, just £1 to test it out.
The Betfred site was easy to use. You select your numbers, add them to your slip, pick your stake, and you’re done. You also get a little reminder of how much you could win depending on what you bet and how many numbers you match.
When the draw came around, you could watch it live on the site. It only takes a minute. I didn’t win anything, but I wasn’t expecting to. Still, it was fun and didn’t feel too different from playing the lottery—except a lot quicker.
The £5 Million Prize – Is It Real?
Yes, it’s real—but there are limits.
- To win the £5 million, you need to pick and match 6 numbers on a £1 stake in the 6-ball draw.
- There’s a daily cap of £6.5 million for all players combined in this category, so if loads of people win on the same numbers, that’s the max Betfred will pay out.
- For most other bets (e.g., matching fewer numbers or using the 7-ball draw), the max payout is £650,000 per day.
So it’s not unlimited—but it’s still one of the biggest possible payouts for a small bet that you’ll find outside of the main National Lottery.
Things to Know Before You Play
A few quick facts:
- You need to bet before the draw starts. If you’re late, your bet won’t count.
- If a draw is cancelled, your bet moves to the next one.
- You can’t put Nifty 50 bets into an accumulator or mix it with other games.
- You won’t get bonus payouts or consolation prizes like you might with scratchcards or Lotto Plus games.
It’s also worth noting that this is betting, not a regular lottery ticket. You’re not “buying a chance” in a national draw—you’re betting on a result, just like sports betting.
So… Would I Play Again?
Yes, I think I would. Not every day, but it’s a fun little game if you’ve got a spare quid and want to try something different. The fact you can win £5 million on a £1 bet is pretty tempting. And because it runs three times a day, you don’t have to wait long to find out if you’ve won.
BETFRED OFFER
GET £50 IN FREE BETS WHEN YOU BET £10
It’s not exactly the same as the National Lottery. It feels more like a quick-fire betting game than a weekly event—but that’s not a bad thing. If you like number games, and you’re looking for a big win without spending a fortune, it’s worth a go.
