Camelot also confirms six more countries to join the Euro Millions game
Shoppers will be able to buy UK National Lottery tickets from supermarket check-outs under plans announced today.
Lottery operator Camelot is linking up with Tesco to begin a trial some time before next March to allow customers to pay for tickets for draw-based games along with their groceries.
Until now tickets have only been available from the cigarette counter in stores.
The move is the latest attempt by Camelot to boost sales by making it easier for players to take part.
Mobile phone users will be able to pay for draw-based games such as Lotto through their handsets from this autumn, subject to approval from the lottery regulator.
Camelot is also installing an extra 800 lottery terminals in shops around the country, taking the figure to more than 26,000.
Earlier this month the operator announced people could play Lotto and find out whether they had won without even leaving their sofa with the launch of a new service on Sky Active.
Camelot was celebrating today after revealing annual sales in the National Lottery have increased for the first time in six years.
The operator has turned round a 5.4% fall in sales last year to report a 1% rise in the 12 months to the end of March.
Weekly sales of £88 million are £40 million higher than they were when the lottery launched in November 1994, although they still have some way to go before reaching the peak of £106 million a week in 1997/98.
A further £1.2 billion from sales went to good causes in the past financial year the same figure as last year.
Camelot, which will reveal its latest profits in its annual report, put the reversal in fortunes down to non-Lotto games which saw sales rise by 17% in the past year.
The main Lotto draw, which still makes up 70% of business, suffered a 4% drop in sales although it performed better in the final quarter and compares with a 12% fall in the previous financial year.
Camelot chief executive Dianne Thompson, who today formally ruled herself out from taking over the chairmanship from the departing Michael Grade, said: I am delighted to be able to report that the National Lottery is back in growth a full year ahead of the target date we announced last year.
In the last 12 months we have successfully launched a number of exciting new games, raised an average of £23.4 million a week for good causes, and created the 1,600th National Lottery millionaire.
Mr Grade, who is stepping down to become chairman of the BBC, said: Our players have raised more than £15.6 billion for projects that go to brighten up peoples lives across the country.
It is a tremendous achievement for which Dianne and her Camelot team must take credit.
Camelot is initially linking-up with Tesco on the idea to sell tickets at check-outs although the operator said it was still researching how the idea, which must first receive National Lottery Commission approval, would work.
Phil Smith, commercial director of Camelot, said: The goal is to make buying a lottery ticket possible at all supermarket check-outs. We know this will attract new and irregular players.
Camelot also confirmed six more countries will join the EuroMillions game to add to the UK, France and Spain.
Those to come on board in the next year are lotteries in Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Portugal and Luxembourg.
Lottery Minister Estelle Morris said: I am pleased that lottery sales have turned the corner and are on the rise again in this its 10th birthday year.
The lottery has raised over £15 billion for good causes since it began, so this rise in particularly good news for all the people that will benefit from lottery money in the future.
Julie Kirkbride MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: It is welcome that the fall in lottery sales appears to have halted. However it is very important that the proceeds that go to good causes are not raided to fund the Governments pet projects.
Dr. Stange is right. The difference here is that you will be able to get your tickets right at the regular checkout. Pretty convenient! Plus, it will captialize on impulse buying.
British supermarkets don't sell lottery tickets?
They sell lottery tickets at the tobacco counters in grocery stores.
Dr. Stange is right. The difference here is that you will be able to get your tickets right at the regular checkout. Pretty convenient! Plus, it will captialize on impulse buying.
The UK Lottery then could have its own "Change Play" game...
And lump-sum,TAX FREE too.......................