'American states' are in talks to participate in the Christmastime mega-draw
Camelot, the operator of the UK National Lottery, is poised to launch a worldwide draw with a record jackpot of about £250m (US $500 million), now that it apparently won a new 10-year license this week.
The company was named on Tuesday as the "preferred bidder" for a license to run from 2009, after fending off a bid from Sugal & Damani, an Indian rival.
It is the third victory for Camelot, which has run the lottery since it started in 1994. Critics claim the company now has a virtual monopoly on the UK game.
Participants in the new annual "mega draw" will be vying for a jackpot twice the size of the £125m (US $250 million) top prize won so far in the multi-country Euro Millions game.
EuroMillions is played across nine countries, but Camelot says it has been discussing its worldwide game with a further 39 nations and American states.
The jackpot draw, which is likely to coincide with a big holiday such as Christmas, will run alongside monthly global draws that will each create up to 100 millionaires.
Individual lottery numbers are likely to be drawn separately from across the continents and broadcast live on television. Tickets purchased in Britain will generate income for lottery good causes at home.
The overall size of the annual jackpot will be dictated by the number of countries that decide to take part in the competition, although insiders are confident it will be in the "hundreds of millions".
Those hoping to scoop the top prize, however, ought to bear in mind that they will probably face odds well in excess of 100 million to one.
Plans for the global draw formed the centerpiece of Camelot's submission to the National Lottery Commission (NLC), the industry watchdog.
To date, the largest single lottery payout has been to Andrew Whittaker, a builder from West Virginia, who won £197m in the multi-state US Powerball game in 2002.
The NLC claims the battle for the third lottery license has been "highly competitive", but industry analysts believe it would have taken "a miracle" for Sugal & Damani to defeat Camelot.
Sir Richard Branson decided against bidding for the new license after claiming that the incumbent was a "shoo-in". His People's Lottery lost out to Camelot following an acrimonious legal dispute the last time the license came up for grabs.
The NLC will finalize contracts and officially award the new license to the winner by the end of the month. Camelot refused to comment.
"Those hoping to scoop the top prize, however, ought to bear in mind that they will probably face odds well in excess of 100 million to one."
Would anyone seriously think any game that offered a top prize almost twice that ever offered by America two biggest games could also have better odds?
With MM and PB odds of 1:176M and 1:146M base on a $1 ticket, with similar odds based on $5-$15 ticket might make the game less appealing in the states.
The exchange rates have alway made such a lottery almost impossible since even spending the equivalent of a dollar for a lottery ticket in some countries could cut deep into the average family budget.
Sounds like it won't a weekly game but a one shot deal at special times during the year which will make it more like a raffle than a regular lottery game.
I don´t understand can someone please tell me if this lottery is going to be played ONCE A WEEK, EVERY TWO WEEKS, OR ONCE A YEAR...I really couldn´t make it out of the news, i don´t know when is going to play...
Quote: Originally posted by pumpi76 on Aug 9, 2007
I don´t understand can someone please tell me if this lottery is going to be played ONCE A WEEK, EVERY TWO WEEKS, OR ONCE A YEAR...I really couldn´t make it out of the news, i don´t know when is going to play...
i greatly appreciate it...
"'American states' are in talks to participate in the Christmastime mega-draw"
Looks like one draw a few days before or after December 25.
well there ya' go.... there's the 500 million dollar draw we have been anticipating ! I hope it goes through and I can get in on it. Right at Christmastime, my favorite time of year too. Just imagine...
well there ya' go.... there's the 500 million dollar draw we have been anticipating ! I hope it goes through and I can get in on it. Right at Christmastime, my favorite time of year too. Just imagine...
a half Billion dollars ....what do you think the ticket price will be ? My prediction is New York State if they allowed the competition is $ 20.00 per game ???Now how do you collect the cash on a foriegn lottery game ????
I don't see how the US government can NOT block it, given the amount of time and money being spent to convince US citizens not to play foreign lotteries.
I don't think the US would tryo to block it...a number of US lotteries have already made preparations to participate in a "world lottery". CA's former Governor actually suggested a CA/Mexico joint game at one time and some of the preparations were actually made - nothing from the Feds on that one.
The part about numbers being drawn across the Continents is intriguing - what do you do??? - remove the balls thats have already been drawn from the successive hoppers as the draw moves around?
A similar "Holiday Lotto" promotional game worked pretty well in New York - the payout ended up being fairly high but the top end sales were (if I recall correctly) very good.
This concept has a lot of "details" to work out. That's where we'll find any "devils" if there are any.
I'd rather spend the money for a game with better odds. After blowing $20 for one Florida Raffle ticket, I would never play another game with a $20 ticket price. The odds for that game were only 125,000 to 1 and I still didn't win anything. The only way I'll ever play another raffle game is if they add a few hundred $1,000 prizes and maybe some $500 or $100 prizes, or if they lower the ticket price. At least with a lot of lower tier prizes, a player has a chance of getting his money back.
"Those hoping to scoop the top prize, however, ought to bear in mind that they will probably face odds well in excess of 100 million to one."
This statement says it all. Sure, the overall jackpot is always exciting like in PB and MM, but when the odds are this high, knowing there are many lower tier prizes makes it a little more appealing to me. I'd love to win $500,000 but I'm realistic.
"To date, the largest single lottery payout has been to Andrew Whittaker, a builder from West Virginia, who won £197m in the multi-state US Powerball game in 2002."
Good 'ol Jack again. I bet his family can't wait until someone wins $500,000.
Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Aug 10, 2007
I'd rather spend the money for a game with better odds. After blowing $20 for one Florida Raffle ticket, I would never play another game with a $20 ticket price. The odds for that game were only 125,000 to 1 and I still didn't win anything. The only way I'll ever play another raffle game is if they add a few hundred $1,000 prizes and maybe some $500 or $100 prizes, or if they lower the ticket price. At least with a lot of lower tier prizes, a player has a chance of getting his money back.
"Those hoping to scoop the top prize, however, ought to bear in mind that they will probably face odds well in excess of 100 million to one."
This statement says it all. Sure, the overall jackpot is always exciting like in PB and MM, but when the odds are this high, knowing there are many lower tier prizes makes it a little more appealing to me. I'd love to win $500,000 but I'm realistic.
"To date, the largest single lottery payout has been to Andrew Whittaker, a builder from West Virginia, who won £197m in the multi-state US Powerball game in 2002."
Good 'ol Jack again. I bet his family can't wait until someone wins $500,000.
"Good 'ol Jack again. I bet his family can't wait until someone wins $500,000."
even if someone wins $500million jack might make the news again for good or bad reason and his family will be back in the spotlight. no matter what the price is i will definitely get a ticket even if i have to get into a lottery pool
"Those hoping to scoop the top prize, however, ought to bear in mind that they will probably face odds well in excess of 100 million to one."
Would anyone seriously think any game that offered a top prize almost twice that ever offered by America two biggest games could also have better odds?
i wonder which states are considering getting in that
Dunno, but if one within a couple hours driving distance from me gets in, I'll get a ticket. Prolly just one.
it depends on how much each ticket will cost as too how many ill get but ill definitely get involved if the state is mine or a border state.
With MM and PB odds of 1:176M and 1:146M base on a $1 ticket, with similar odds based on $5-$15 ticket might make the game less appealing in the states.
The exchange rates have alway made such a lottery almost impossible since even spending the equivalent of a dollar for a lottery ticket in some countries could cut deep into the average family budget.
Sounds like it won't a weekly game but a one shot deal at special times during the year which will make it more like a raffle than a regular lottery game.
I don´t understand can someone please tell me if this lottery is going to be played ONCE A WEEK, EVERY TWO WEEKS, OR ONCE A YEAR...I really couldn´t make it out of the news, i don´t know when is going to play...
i greatly appreciate it...
"'American states' are in talks to participate in the Christmastime mega-draw"
Looks like one draw a few days before or after December 25.
well there ya' go.... there's the 500 million dollar draw we have been anticipating !
I hope it goes through and I can get in on it. Right at Christmastime, my favorite time of year too. Just imagine...
a half Billion dollars ....what do you think the ticket price will be ? My prediction is New York State if they allowed the competition is $ 20.00 per game ??? Now how do you collect the cash on a foriegn lottery game ????
if tickets are a dollar count me in.ten or twenty bucks? no thanks....
This will never happen, IMHO.
I don't see how the US government can NOT block it, given the amount of time and money being spent to convince US citizens not to play foreign lotteries.
I don't think the US would tryo to block it...a number of US lotteries have already made preparations to participate in a "world lottery". CA's former Governor actually suggested a CA/Mexico joint game at one time and some of the preparations were actually made - nothing from the Feds on that one.
The part about numbers being drawn across the Continents is intriguing - what do you do??? - remove the balls thats have already been drawn from the successive hoppers as the draw moves around?
A similar "Holiday Lotto" promotional game worked pretty well in New York - the payout ended up being fairly high but the top end sales were (if I recall correctly) very good.
This concept has a lot of "details" to work out. That's where we'll find any "devils" if there are any.
I'd rather spend the money for a game with better odds. After blowing $20 for one Florida Raffle ticket, I would never play another game with a $20 ticket price. The odds for that game were only 125,000 to 1 and I still didn't win anything. The only way I'll ever play another raffle game is if they add a few hundred $1,000 prizes and maybe some $500 or $100 prizes, or if they lower the ticket price. At least with a lot of lower tier prizes, a player has a chance of getting his money back.
"Those hoping to scoop the top prize, however, ought to bear in mind that they will probably face odds well in excess of 100 million to one."
This statement says it all. Sure, the overall jackpot is always exciting like in PB and MM, but when the odds are this high, knowing there are many lower tier prizes makes it a little more appealing to me. I'd love to win $500,000 but I'm realistic.
"To date, the largest single lottery payout has been to Andrew Whittaker, a builder from West Virginia, who won £197m in the multi-state US Powerball game in 2002."
Good 'ol Jack again. I bet his family can't wait until someone wins $500,000.
"Good 'ol Jack again. I bet his family can't wait until someone wins $500,000."
even if someone wins $500million jack might make the news again for good or bad reason and his family will be back in the spotlight. no matter what the price is i will definitely get a ticket even if i have to get into a lottery pool