Lottery ticket price hikes could dampen Olympic gains

Retailers enjoyed a boost to National Lottery ticket sales as shoppers were swept up in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, there are concerns the Olympic legacy could be short lived, as EuroMillions ticket prices rise next week.

A number of retailers across the UK reported an uplift in tickets sales during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Kiran Basra, of Bierley Superstore and Post Office in Bradford, had experienced a “noticeable” rise in his ticket sales throughout August and September. “Camelot invested heavily in promoting the Games with special POS and advertising, and I think more people realised their money directly contributed to the success of Team GB,” he said.

The National Lottery contributed the majority of investment in Olympic and Paralympic Sports at Rio 2016 with more than £80m invested a year. Team GB and Paralympics GB medal tally has risen incrementally since Lottery funding was first awarded in 1997 - hitting a combined 214 medals at Rio.

Camelot held four special draws during August and September to celebrate the Games. The 27 August Lotto Medal Draw, in particular, saw an uplift of 30% vs the previous week “in what is often a tricky bank holiday weekend for lottery sales,” Camelot 
head of retail channel James Pearson said.

Julie Jones, of Morton Post Office & Stores in Lincolnshire, said the rise in ticket sales had been “even more noticeable” during the Paralympics. “I think people were so inspired by the athletes; lots of customers talked to us about them as they bought tickets,” she said.

However, one retailer, who did not wish to be named, said he was concerned that the forthcoming 50p price hike in a EuroMillions line could now trigger a slow-down in sales.

He told C-Store: “Shoppers are peeved about it, especially as the Lottery has gone from £1 a ticket to £2. All the comments we get are ‘This is the last time I’m going to play’.”