About the National Lottery
The UK National Lottery was launched on 14 November 1994 and the first draw took place on 19 November. Since then, the National Lottery has become an institution within the UK, raising over £40 billion for good causes and paying out over £59 billion in prizes.
National Lottery funding contributed almost £2.2 billion towards the costs of staging the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.
National Lottery games consist of draw-based games such as Lotto and EuroMillions, scratchcards with prices ranging between £1 to £5, and online interactive instant win games, which can range from 25p to £10. There are a number of ways you can play the National Lottery:
- at one of the National Lottery retailers throughout the UK marked by the crossed fingers logo, of which there are approximately 45,000
- online, using a mobile, tablet or desktop at www.national-lottery.co.uk, via the National Lottery app or via Pingit.
Where does the money go?
The precise breakdown of where the money goes depends on the actual level of sales, the types of game being sold and the period of the licence that has been reached. The average breakdown for every £1 of ticket sales in 2018/19 was:
- 56p paid to winners in prizes
- 22p given to good causes
- 12p to the government in lottery duty
- 4p paid to National Lottery retailers on tickets sold
- 6p retained by the operator to meet costs and returns to shareholders.
The total number of National Lottery grants awarded to good causes stands at over 535,000. There is a searchable database of every grant given out since the Lottery began on the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) website.
Who makes sure the National Lottery is run properly?
Four main parties contribute to the running of the UK National Lottery. They are:
- Government - Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
- Regulator - Gambling Commission
- Operator - currently Camelot
- Distributing bodies - eg Big Lottery Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund.
To apply for a lottery grant visit the lottery funding website or call the National Lottery Funding Hotline on 0845 275 0000 (calls cost 7p per minute plus your service provider's access charges). We do not have any responsibility for the distribution of lottery funds.
History of the National Lottery
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19 November 2019
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National Lottery celebrates its 25th anniversary
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18 March 2019
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First Set for Life draw takes place
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1 November 2014
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National Lottery celebrates its 20th anniversary
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1 October 2013
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New Lotto launched with more prizes, raffles and £2 ticket
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1 October 2013
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National Lottery Commission and Gambling Commission officially merge
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4 July 2012
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The start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
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6 March 2012
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Camelot’s licence to run the National Lottery extended by four years in return for additional 8,000 terminals
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1 January 2012
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National Lottery Commission relocates to Birmingham
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14 October 2010
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Government confirms merger of the National Lottery Commission and the Gambling Commission
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15 April 2010
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£500 million raised for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
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24 November 2009
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The 15th Anniversary of the National Lottery
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1 February 2009
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The third licence comes into force, for a period of 10 years
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31 January 2009
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The second licence ends
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28 November 2008
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Sales of designated Olympic Lottery games reaches half way towards the target of £750 million
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31 August 2007
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NLC finalises National Lottery Licence with Camelot Group plc
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7 August 2007
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Preferred bidder Announced for third National Lottery Licence
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9 February 2007
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Two bids received for third lottery Licence
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29 June 2006
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Bidding begins for 3rd Lottery Licence
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29 June 2006
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Publication of Final Invitation to Apply (ITA) and Draft Licence
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15 July 2006
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First Dream Number Draw
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28 April 2006
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Publication of the Draft Invitation to Apply (ITA) and Draft Licence
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8 November 2005
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Publication of the Statement of Main Principles for the third Licence competition
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6 July 2005
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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announces decision to award the 2012 Olympic Games to London
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27 January 2005
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The National Lottery Commission publishes its consultation on the third Licence competition, A Lottery for the Future
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25 November 2004
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National Lottery Bill introduced to the House of Commons
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16 November 2004
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First National Lottery Day
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13 February 2004
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Launch of EuroMillions
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22 September 2003
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Launch of Daily Play
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24 February 2003
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Launch of Interactive Instant Win Games
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23 October 2002
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The first midweek Thunderball draw took place
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10 July 2002
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Launch of Lotto HotPicks
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27 January 2002
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Start of the second seven-year licence
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26 October 2001
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The interim licence took effect
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19 December 2000
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Camelot awarded the second seven-year licence
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13 November 2000
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Launch of Lotto Extra
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30 November 1999
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Final Invitation to Apply (ITA) and revised draft Licence published
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29 July 1999
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Statement of Main Principles and timeframe for second Licence competition announced
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1 April 1999
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The National Lottery Commission succeeded The Office of the National Lottery (OFLOT). Mark Harris appointed as the Commission’s Chief Executive
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1 January 1999
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National Lottery Commissioners announced
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5 February 1997
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Launch of the midweek draw
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21 March 1995
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Launch of Scratchcards
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19 November 1994
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First National Lottery draw took place
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Who owns Camelot?
On 25 March 2010 the five shareholders in Camelot (Cadbury Schweppes, Royal Mail Enterprises, De La Rue, Fujitsu Services and Thales Electronics) announced that they had agreed to sell their shareholdings to the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (OTPP). This agreement was subject to regulatory approval from the National Lottery Commission whose consent was required before the sale could be completed.
The National Lottery Commission carried out an assessment of the terms of the purchase of shares in Camelot Group Limited by OTPP and gave consent to the sale.
There were two elements to the assessment. Firstly the National Lottery Commission scrutinised the proposals from OTPP and secured necessary clarifications and improvements to the purchaser’s proposals. Secondly the National Lottery Commission completed checks into the fitness and propriety of the purchaser, to ensure that the public interest in the National Lottery is safeguarded.
Consequently, Camelot’s share sale to the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan was given regulatory approval.
Are other lotteries such as the Health Lottery and People's Postcode Lottery part of the National Lottery?
No they are not, other lotteries are totally separate even though some operate across the whole of the country. There is only one National Lottery and that is run under licence (and under a totally separate Act of Parliament) by Camelot with the primary aim of raising as much money as possible for good causes. Unlike society lotteries, the National Lottery is not limited to the prizes it can offer or the proceeds it can make, whereas under limits set by Parliament, society lotteries must operate within maximum prize and proceeds limits.