National Lottery operator Allwyn has sent its 43,500 retail partners a Launch Box containing all the materials needed to guide players through the changes to Lotto going on sale on Sunday 7 June.
Each box includes updated play slips for new Lotto and Lotto HotPicks, alongside refreshed guidance materials and in-store point-of-sale (POS) assets. Player-facing ‘How To Play’ leaflets will also be included, ensuring players have clear, accessible information when they buy tickets and claim prizes.
From 7 June, every £2 Lotto line will give players two chances to win – all for the same price and with the same number of balls to choose from, with a new two-round format every draw. The change improves players’ chances of winning any prize from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9 and is expected to more than double the number of Lotto millionaires from around 140 a year to around 345.
There will be no change to how customers play the games, ensuring a seamless transition for players. However, retailers will need to swap out the existing Lotto and Lotto HotPicks play slips to the new Lotto and Lotto HotPicks play slips from 7 June, as the current play slips will not work. Retailers should site the new slips after closing on Saturday evening, or first thing on Sunday morning.
Retailers should also keep their terminal on overnight on Saturday, as a terminal update will go in overnight to activate the new game. This will ensure that they are able to start trading as promptly as possible on Sunday morning.
To formally close out the old version of the game, the 6 June Lotto jackpot is a £12m ‘Must Be Won’ draw, so retailers can use the opportunity to remind customers about the giant jackpot on offer, as well as remind regular players that the game is changing from Sunday.
For players who purchased tickets before 7 June but choose to claim their prize after the new Lotto changes go live, prizes will be honoured according to the previous Lotto prize tiers for the draw in which they participated. As winners have up to 180 days to claim, retailers should simply validate tickets and pay out prizes as usual, checking their terminal screen to ensure the correct prize is awarded.
New Lotto is set to bring significant benefits for retailers. Allwyn expects the excitement around the new Lotto and Lotto HotPicks formats to drive stronger sales, supporting higher commission for retailers. Retailers will also be able to pay out the new Lotto HotPicks ‘Pick and match 3 main numbers’ £400 prize for the first time, on which they’ll receive their prize payout commission (£4). In addition, the new formats will boost footfall in stores, with more winners returning to claim their prizes and with many then going on to spend their winnings in store.
To support retailers in maximising the opportunity, alongside the in-store POS, the launch is being backed by a multi-million-pound marketing campaign spanning TV, radio and online channels, designed to drive awareness, excitement and footfall.
Retail revenue & customer director at Allwyn, Alison Acquaye-Acford, said: “The launch of new Lotto marks an incredibly exciting moment for us at Allwyn, for National Lottery players and for our 43,500 retail partners, who are at the heart of making it a success. They play a vital role in bringing these games to life in communities across the UK, and we are committed to giving them the tools, guidance and support they need every step of the way.
“From dedicated launch materials to ongoing marketing investment, we’re working closely with our retail partners to help drive excitement, footfall and sales, and ensure the very best experience for their customers. All of this will ensure that we collectively continue to build on the £33m a week that is raised for Good Causes across the UK, which is what The National Lottery is all about.”
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