Record £57m Lotto jackpot to be won tonight

After 14 consecutive rollovers the jackpot stands at a record £57.8 million Credit: PA

With the Lotto jackpot standing at a record £57.8 million, those hoping to win big are being urged to buy their tickets well in advance of the draw.

At more than £50 million, new lottery rules mean the jackpot must be won in the draw today.

A surge in ticket sales for the previous draw - which had no winners - forced the National Lottery website to crash, and there are fears that could happen again if there is a last minute rush for tickets.

National Lottery organisers Camelot said there had been "unprecedented" levels of interest in the jackpot.

The company expects to be selling more than 400 tickets per second in the last hour before sales close at 7.30pm.

The company said it would do everything it could to ensure people are able to buy tickets.

It also reminded players that tickets could be brought from 37,000 retailers, as well as online.

The run of 14 rollovers that have led to the mammoth jackpot came after after Camelot lengthened increased the number of balls from 49 to 59 in October last year.

That move pushed the odds of a player's six numbers coming up from around one in 14 million to one in 45 million.

The previous highest jackpot of £42 million, and was shared by three winners in 1996.