Allwyn set to make more millionaires through new games
OPERATOR for The National Lottery Allwyn has announced two new games will roll out this coming summer to create “hundreds more millionaires”.
The new games will shake up the current Lotto game and will see the launch of a UK-specific version of Powerball, the first time the game will be available outside of the USA.
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 through a new two-round format every draw.
Allwyn has said that the change will improve 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.
Tickets for the new Lotto will roll out from Sunday 7 June, with the first draw set to take place on Wednesday 10 June. The new two-round structure will see two sets of six main balls and a Bonus Ball drawn using two separate draw machines.
This means a player could win in Round One, Round Two or even in both rounds, all from a single Lotto line.
This will roll out alongside the UK’s first over £1billion mega-jackpot game, which is coming this summer with the launch of the UK-specific version of Powerball.
The new Powerball game will see UK players playing alongside Americans to be in with the chance of winning from a mega, shared jackpot – which will be shared out over 30 years to UK jackpot winners.
The game is expected to deliver around £1billion more to UK Good Causes over the first five years, with over 30% of the ticket price returned to UK Good Causes.
Powerball tickets will go on sale to UK players this coming summer, with the exact date to be confirmed nearer the time of the draw. UK players will pick five numbers from 1-69 and one Powerball number from 1-26. Alternatively, they can choose a Lucky Dip.
Tickets will be available to buy online or in-store by 11:55pm the night before the draws (on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays), with the draws set to take place around 4am the following morning from the Powerball Studio in Florida.
Andria Vidler, chief executive at Allwyn, said: “We are delivering on our promise to bring more games, more entertainment and more innovation to The National Lottery. With extensive upgrades to our digital and retail channels now complete, we have a fantastic summer lined up, as we are now able to bring these exciting new games to our players.
“Lotto has always been the best game to play if you want to become a millionaire. Our new Lotto gives players two chances of winning £1m-plus for the same £2 they spend on each Lotto line today, creating hundreds more millionaires every year.
“And with its transformative jackpots, which will be paid to UK winners over time, we’re certain that our UK-specific version of the iconic Powerball game will really capture the UK public’s imagination.
“By offering a wide range of complementary games, we’re ensuring there is something for everyone – returning the magic, building our player base and making sure The National Lottery remains part of the national conversation. In turn, this will raise more money for Good Causes, helping us reach our goal of doubling weekly returns to Good Causes from £30m to £60m by 2034, with £33m a week currently raised.”
