Guaranteed top prize of £1m. as Christmas lottery changes

It is the first time that the draw has launched with a fixed first prize. In previous years the prize has grown based on the number of tickets sold.

The lottery is operated by States’ Trading Assets and senior lottery officer Jon Taylor said that after last year’s lottery failed to reach the £1m. mark, agents in the islands decided to underwrite a guaranteed £1m.

‘The reason we didn’t reach the million last year was because we had lots of smaller prizes,’ he said. ‘This year, we’ve increased the prize pool.’

There will still be an element of prize growth, he said, but this will see smaller prizes of £1,000 added to the draw. These ‘secret Santa’ prizes will start being added once 1,080,000 tickets have been sold.

If all 1.2m. tickets printed go, then there will be 230 £1,000 prizes.

As well as the ‘secret Santas’ and the guaranteed £1m. first prize, there will be a second prize of £50,000, five prizes of £10,000, 15 prizes of £2,500, 20 prizes of £1,000 and 25 prizes of £500. The scratch card part of the ticket has a total of 212,850 instant win prizes.

‘Since 2013, the Christmas lottery game has raised more than £1.4m. for the Association of Guernsey Charities and I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of the people that have benefited from the game,’ said Mr Taylor.

‘We would also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to play responsibly.’

Tickets went on sale yesterday and, like last year, they are £3 each.

A total of 40 charities benefited from the proceeds of the Christmas lottery last year, and Association of Guernsey Charities chairman Malcolm Woodhams said it was optimistic about the changes since they should raise more funds for local good causes.

‘Ultimately, that’s what we have to focus on because we know that local charities and voluntary groups urgently need funding for their projects that benefit the whole community.’

. The draw takes place on Thursday 19 December.

Christmas lottery grant helped us with plans to rebuild club – boxers

ONE of last year’s beneficiaries was the Amalgamated Boys’ Club, which is hoping to rebuild its St Martin’s premises.

It was given £5,000 from the lottery proceeds.

The club has been in existence for more than 100 years and coach Michael Carre said it has almost 50 members under the age of 18 – including girls – and around 25 senior members.

He said the lottery donation was very welcome and the club hoped it would succeed with another application this year: ‘We’ve been a charity for years. We don’t get money from the States so we try to get sponsors where we can,’ he said.

As well as funds towards the rebuild, the club used some of the money it raised to replace equipment.