How to Play UK49s in South Africa — The Complete Lunchtime & Teatime Guide

1. What Is UK49s?

UK49s is a numbers draw run by 49's Ltd in the United Kingdom. Twice every day, seven balls are drawn from a pool of 49: six main numbers and one Booster ball. It began in the UK in the late 1990s and has since become hugely popular with South African bettors because it happens daily, the numbers are simple, and you decide how much to risk.

Here's the crucial part for South Africans: you are not entering a lottery. There's no UK49s ticket sold in SA and no shared prize pool. Instead, licensed South African bookmakers offer fixed-odds betting on what the draw will produce — you bet that your chosen numbers will appear, and if they do, the bookmaker pays you at odds agreed the moment you placed the bet. Think of it like betting on a sports result: the "match" is the draw, and your "prediction" is your set of numbers.

2. Lunchtime vs Teatime — the Key Differences

UK49s runs two separate draws every single day, 365 days a year. They use the same format and the same odds — the differences that matter are the times and the fact that each has its own, completely independent set of results.

3. Step-by-Step: How to Play UK49s (Lunchtime & Teatime)

The process is the same for both draws — you simply pick which one when you place the bet:

1. Choose a licensed bookmaker

   Use an operator licensed by a South African provincial gambling board — online or at a physical shop. Check for the licence number before depositing any money.

2. Select the draw

   Pick Lunchtime (13:49 SAST) or Teatime (18:49 SAST). Bets close shortly before each draw.

3. Choose how many numbers (1–5)

   Fewer numbers = more frequent, smaller wins. More numbers = rarer, much bigger payouts. This is your risk-and-reward decision.

4. Pick your actual numbers from 1–49

   Choose your own, or let the system pick at random — every number has exactly the same chance.

5. Choose 6-ball or 7-ball

   6-ball: only the main numbers count (higher odds). 7-ball: the Booster counts too (easier to hit, lower odds).

6. Set your stake and confirm

   Enter how much to bet — your potential return is stake × odds. Review, confirm, and keep your bet slip or on-screen confirmation.

7. Check the result and get paid

   After the draw, compare your numbers on our results hub. Winning bets are settled automatically into your betting account.

4. All UK49s Bet Types Explained

Your main choice is how many numbers to bet on. The more you pick, the harder it is to hit them all — so the odds (and potential payout) rise steeply. The figures below are typical illustrative odds; exact odds vary by bookmaker, so always check before betting.

A worked example

Say you bet R10 on 3 numbers (a treble) at 600/1, on the 6-ball market. If all three of your numbers appear among the six main balls, you win R10 × 600 = R6,000 (plus your stake back, depending on the bookmaker's convention). If even one of your three doesn't appear, the bet loses. That steep all-or-nothing structure is why smaller bets (1 or 2 numbers) suit beginners: they win far more often, keeping the game fun for longer on the same budget.

5. Pricing & Cost to Play UK49s in South Africa

Unlike a lottery with a fixed ticket price, you choose your own stake on every UK49s bet. This is one of the game's biggest attractions — and its biggest budgeting trap if you're not careful.

• Most bookmakers accept small minimum stakes — often from around R1 to R2 per bet.
• Your total spend = stake × number of bets. Ten R5 bets costs R50, the same as one R50 bet.
• The stake doesn't change your odds — R5 and R500 on the same numbers pay the same multiple; only the amount you win (or lose) scales.
• There's no "buy more lines for a discount" — each bet is priced independently at the bookmaker's odds.

Because the entry cost is so flexible, the sensible approach is to decide a fixed budget first — say, a set amount per week you're comfortable losing entirely — and treat that as the price of the entertainment. For a full breakdown of how UK49s costs compare with SA's own games, see our cost-to-play guide.

6. How Winnings Are Paid & the "Prize Structure"

This is where UK49s differs most sharply from the Lotto. There are no prize divisions and no shared jackpot. Your winnings are calculated with one simple formula:

Because each bookmaker sets its own odds, the same winning numbers can pay different amounts at different bookmakers. That's why comparing odds before you bet genuinely matters — it's the one area where shopping around can improve your return (though it can never change your chance of winning). Winnings are settled automatically into your betting account after the draw, usually within minutes, and you can then withdraw them per your bookmaker's process.

Illustrative only — confirm exact odds and payout conventions (some include the stake, some don't) with your bookmaker before betting.

7. Where to Play UK49s in SA — Online & Physical

You can play UK49s two ways in South Africa, and both use bookmakers licensed by provincial gambling boards:

Online (websites & apps)

Most South African bookmakers offer UK49s betting through their website and mobile app. You register, verify your identity and age, deposit funds, and place bets in a few taps. Winnings land in your account automatically. When choosing a platform, look for a visible licence number (usually in the footer), clear terms, and local payment/withdrawal methods.

Physical betting shops

Licensed betting shops across SA accept UK49s bets over the counter and print you a bet slip — your physical record of the bet. The odds and rules are identical to online; the main difference is you'll collect winnings per the shop's process rather than into an app.

We don't rank or endorse specific bookmakers — verify the licence and read the terms yourself before depositing.

8. Smart Strategies & Tips for Beginners

Let's be honest up front: no strategy improves your odds of winning a random draw. What good habits do is make the game safer and more enjoyable, and stop you losing more than you meant to. These are the tips that actually matter:

• Set a budget before you look at any numbers — a weekly amount you can lose entirely without stress.
• Start with 1 or 2 numbers. They hit far more often, so a small budget lasts longer and the game stays fun.
• Never chase losses — especially not by betting bigger at Teatime after a losing Lunchtime.
• Compare odds between bookmakers. Same numbers, different payouts — this is the one edge that's real.
• Treat predictions and "hot numbers" as entertainment, not tips. Our Lunchtime and Teatime pages are built exactly that way — structured picks, honestly labelled.
• Take the wins and walk. A win is a good moment to stop, not a signal you're "on a roll".

9. Common Mistakes New Players Make

• Chasing a loss into the next draw. Doubling up at Teatime to win back Lunchtime is the classic trap — the draws are independent, so it just doubles the risk.
• Paying for "banker numbers". Guaranteed numbers can't exist. Anyone charging for them is selling you the misses they don't show you.
• Believing in hot and cold streaks. Frequency describes the past; it can't tip the next draw. A number drawn five times running is no likelier next time.
• Betting too many numbers on a small budget. A 4- or 5-number bet almost always loses; new players burn through funds fast this way.
• Not checking the odds. Placing a bet without comparing what different bookmakers pay leaves real money on the table.
• Playing without a budget. "Just one more bet" with no limit set is how entertainment turns into a problem.

10. Responsible Gambling Guidelines

UK49s is designed to be fun, and for most people it is — but fixed-odds betting returns less than you stake on average, so over time the expected outcome is a loss. Keeping it enjoyable means keeping it controlled:

• Only ever bet money you can afford to lose completely.
• Set time and money limits before you start, and stick to them.
• Never borrow money to bet, and never bet to solve a financial problem.
• If betting stops being fun, or you're thinking about it too much, take a break.
• You must be 18 or older — never bet on behalf of a minor.

11. UK49s How-to-Play — Frequently Asked Questions