Millions of Lotto fans thought their number was up when a ball-picking machine broke down mid-draw live on TV in Germany.

Shocked viewers had tuned in to watch the draw for a EUR-5-million (GBP-4.3-million) jackpot when the picker’s spinning drum stopped turning during Germany’s Lotto 6/49 game at 7.25pm on Saturday, 7th October.

TV host Chris Fleischhauer, 41, said at the beginning of the show: “As always, of course, everything has been properly checked. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Here we go. Good luck to you all!”

But after picking six standard numbers 23, 32, 11, 22, 42, and 14 the machine failed to produce the vital super lucky number to select the jackpot winner after breaking down due to a technical fault.

Baffled Fleischhauer was almost lost for words before jokingly telling viewers: “Now we’re really offering something new.”

Frantic 6/49 Lotto staff eventually managed to bring out a substitute machine which picked a zero as the final super lucky number.

At the end of the draw, relieved, Fleischhauer told viewers: “We will continue on Wednesday, hopefully with the super number device working.”

Lotto officials have not announced a winner for the draw.