Camelot is to revamp the National Lottery, changing the cost of playing and the prize breakdown.

Agreed in principle by the National Lottery Commission and set to be introduced this autumn, the changes to prizes include a bigger prize for matching three numbers, increasing from £10 to £25, the average Saturday and Wednesday jackpot increasing to £5m and £2.5m respectively, and a new raffle in which at least 50 players will win a guaranteed £20,000 in each Lotto draw.

The core game will remain the same, but the cost of a Lotto line will increase from £1 to £2. There will also be changes to the average prizes for matching four numbers, five numbers and five numbers plus the Bonus Ball. All players will be automatically entered into the Lotto raffle.

The minimum draw prize level for which retailers can receive commission on will also increase from £10.01 to £25.01. However, Camelot UK sales director Duncan Malyon said store owners would benefit from the increased playing prices. “Retailer commissions will remain at the same percentage rate with the added benefit of more cash flow due to the higher selling price.”

The culmination of an 18-month research plan, including a survey of over 26,000 players and its retailer panel, the changes were in response to demand from consumers wanting “more National Lottery and bigger prizes”, Malyon said.

He added that retailers would be fully supported in the run-up to the implementation. “Every one of our retailers will receive a letter in the post informing them of the changes and their terminals will be updated with information should any customer ask for them,” said Malyon. “All retailers will also receive at least two visits from a field sales representative before the changes are introduced.”

Malyon stressed that the revamp wasn’t connected to the introduction of the Health Lottery in September 2011. “We’ve been researching this revamp for some time now, before the Health Lottery was introduced to the market,” he said. “We’ve been listening to our customers and they’ve told us that they want more of the National Lottery with bigger prizes and that’s what we’ve given them.”

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