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National Lottery Lotto ticket price doubles to £2 | National Lottery Lotto ticket price doubles to £2 |
(33 minutes later) | |
The cost of a National Lottery Lotto ticket has doubled to £2. | The cost of a National Lottery Lotto ticket has doubled to £2. |
The rise, the first since the lottery started in 1994, is part of a package of changes including bigger prizes, says operator Camelot. | The rise, the first since the lottery started in 1994, is part of a package of changes including bigger prizes, says operator Camelot. |
Prizes for matching three numbers will rise from £10 to £25. Average jackpots are predicted to rise to around £5m on Saturdays and £2.5m on Wednesdays. | Prizes for matching three numbers will rise from £10 to £25. Average jackpots are predicted to rise to around £5m on Saturdays and £2.5m on Wednesdays. |
Camelot says this will mean more money for charities. It has raised £30bn for "good causes" since 1994. | Camelot says this will mean more money for charities. It has raised £30bn for "good causes" since 1994. |
Some other prizes will be reduced. Camelot estimates that the reward for matching five balls plus the bonus ball will average £50,000 instead of £100,000. | Some other prizes will be reduced. Camelot estimates that the reward for matching five balls plus the bonus ball will average £50,000 instead of £100,000. |
The prize for matching five balls is expected to average £1,000 instead of £1,500, while the average for matching four balls is expected to go up from £60 to £100. | The prize for matching five balls is expected to average £1,000 instead of £1,500, while the average for matching four balls is expected to go up from £60 to £100. |
Extra numbers printed on lottery players' tickets will be entered for a raffle with prizes of £20,000. | Extra numbers printed on lottery players' tickets will be entered for a raffle with prizes of £20,000. |
'Needed fixing' | 'Needed fixing' |
Camelot UK managing director Andy Duncan told the BBC's Today Programme the main objective of the changes was to "re-energise Lotto". | Camelot UK managing director Andy Duncan told the BBC's Today Programme the main objective of the changes was to "re-energise Lotto". |
"The prizes haven't changed for 19 years and this is a way of actually giving players more opportunities to win more money," he said. | "The prizes haven't changed for 19 years and this is a way of actually giving players more opportunities to win more money," he said. |
He said the National Lottery had grown by 50% over the last 10 years, with games like Euromillions and scratch cards adding to the portfolio. | He said the National Lottery had grown by 50% over the last 10 years, with games like Euromillions and scratch cards adding to the portfolio. |
About 50% of the population play the National Lottery once a month, he added. | About 50% of the population play the National Lottery once a month, he added. |
Professor Ian Walker of Lancaster's Department of Economics told the BBC people had been "falling out of love with Lotto since the mid 1990s". | Professor Ian Walker of Lancaster's Department of Economics told the BBC people had been "falling out of love with Lotto since the mid 1990s". |
He said the real value of Lotto sales had fallen by more than 60% over the last 15 or 16 years and "Lotto had needed fixing for a while". | He said the real value of Lotto sales had fallen by more than 60% over the last 15 or 16 years and "Lotto had needed fixing for a while". |
The £2 price was bound to have an impact on ticket sales, he added. | The £2 price was bound to have an impact on ticket sales, he added. |
Total National Lottery sales have increased by 35% since 2002, when the game was officially renamed Lotto. Some 30 million tickets are reportedly bought every Saturday. | Total National Lottery sales have increased by 35% since 2002, when the game was officially renamed Lotto. Some 30 million tickets are reportedly bought every Saturday. |
An average 800,000 players win prizes for matching three or four numbers each week, while around 800 players match five numbers or five plus the bonus, according to Camelot. | |
Camelot is holding two £10m jackpot draws to mark the launch of the new game. | |
The special draws, to be held on 5 October and 12 October, will also see 1,000 raffle ticket-holders winning £20,000 on each occasion. |