Operator Camelot said it sold about 200 tickets a second in the hour before sales closed at 7.30pm - leading the website to crash.
None of those who did manage to get a ticket matched the winning numbers: 8, 30, 40, 50, 54, 57. The bonus ball was 13.
Lotto rules mean the jackpot can roll until it reaches or exceeds £50m. If it is still not won, it rolls over one more time to the next draw.
That means someone will definitely walk away with the jackpot this Saturday - even if no one matches all six numbers. In that instance, the prize will be shared between those who get five numbers plus the bonus ball.
jackpot is the result of 13 consecutive rollovers.
It follows the number of balls increasing from 49 to 59 in October, which mathematicians say reduced the odds of a player getting six numbers from about one in 14 million to one in 45 million.
Camelot, however, argues its rule changes increased the chances of becoming a millionaire.
The biggest UK Lotto win was in 1995 when colleagues Mark Gardiner and Paul Maddison shared £22.5m, though Mr Gardiner later revealed the money did not bring him happiness.
The biggest single winner was Iris Jeffrey from Belfast, who scooped £20.1m.
The opportunity to win the biggest jackpot came as Camelot revealed the luckiest postcodes for previous winners.
The postcodes are ranked by the number of prize wins of £50,000 or more since the National Lottery began.
The statistics show that the RM postcode, which includes Romford, Dagenham, Hornchurch, Grays and Purfleet, comes out top.
In second place is Sunderland (SR), followed by local neighbour Newcastle Upon Tyne (NE).
1. RM – Romford
2. SR – Sunderland
3. NE – Newcastle Upon Tyne
4. L – Liverpool
5. EN – Enfield
6. WA – Warrington
7. BR – Bromley
8. WV – Wolverhampton
9. DA – Dartford
10. DD - Dundee
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