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Welcome to Vernons Easy Play - the weekly lottery game based on the outcome of football fixtures. Every Saturday, there is a Vernons Easy Play fixture list comprising of 49 'English' and 'Scottish' football matches (in each of which, two named players play each other). You win by matching score draws - where the result of a fixture is that both teams have scored the same number of goals (e.g. 1-1, 2-2 etc).
There are normally four opportunities to win by matching 8, 7, 6 or 5 score draws. Please note that 0-0 is not a score draw. For every entry you buy - costing £1 each - you receive a random selection of 11 fixtures. If any 8 of your 11 fixtures end in a score draw result, you could be one of our jackpot winners. Remember, there is no extra prize for matching more than 8 score draws out of your 11 fixtures.
During the time when the 'English' and 'Scottish' football season ends in May and the new season starts in August, the Vernons Easy Play fixture list will be based on matches from the Australian football leagues. Details about the changeover can be found in your National Lottery On-Line Games retailer between May and August.
Playing Vernons Easy Play is just that - easy. Simply complete your Vernons Easy Play playslip by choosing how many entries you want to buy (1 entry = 1 random selection of 11 fixtures) and how many weeks you want to play for. There are 7 options to choose from:
You can only choose of these 7 options for each playslip you complete. However, you can always use additional playslips if you wish to play more games. Fill in the appropriate box on the playslip by marking it with a heavy vertical line.
Take your own completed playslip to the National Lottery terminal, which will automatically generate - at random - 1 entry selection of 11 fixtures, per £1 paid, from the appropriate weekly fixture list of 49 matches. Please note that the terminal will generate a separate selection of 11 fixtures for each entry. For example, if you choose to play for 2 weeks in advance, you will receive 2 random selections of 11 fixtures.
Alternatively, you can you to the National Lottery terminal and simply tell the sales assistant how you want to play (how many entries you want and for how many weeks). Again, the terminal will automatically generate your random entry selection(s) for you.
You can enter any time up to 3.00pm BST kick-off on a Saturday during the 'English' and 'Scottish' season for that week's game and you can enter for the following week's game at any time after 3.05pm BST on Saturday.
The retailer will give you a Vernons Easy Play ticket featuring the fixtures selected and fixture date(s). You now have your own personal record and are entered for the Vernons Easy Play game. Multiple entries will be detailed on an extended single ticket, with each entry clearly indicated by the future date.
You are responsible for checking - before you leave the retailer - that the number of entries and the future dates(s) shown on your ticket are the ones you requested. You cannot cancel your Vernons Easy Play ticket unless, at the time of purchase, it is damaged, unreadable, incomplete or the game date or number of entries is incorrect. Once you have received your ticket, you should then write your name and address on the back. Keep your ticket safe - you'll need it to check off against the score draw results and, if successful, to claim your prize. Remember - your ticket is the only proof that you are a winner.
To see if one of your selections of 11 fixtures has won, check the number of score draws in each selection. This can be done by checking the results on teletext, in national newspapers, through other media or at the National Lottery On-Line Games dealers. Alternatively, you can call the National Lottery Line on 0845 9100000 (calls charged at the local call rate with the exception of mobile phones).
If you have matched either 8, 7, 6 or 5 score draws, use our Prize payout indicator below to see if you're 'in the money'. Simply go along the top row until you reach the number of score draws that have occurred this week. Then look across from the number of score draws you have matched. If the two meet in the 'YOU WIN' section that you are a winner!
| If you match | Number of Vernons Easy Play score draws this week | ||||||||||||
| vvvvv | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17+ |
| 8 score draws | £ | <- | -- | YO | U | W | IN | -- | -- | £ | |||
| 7 score draws | £ | <- | -- | YO | U | W | IN | -- | -- | £ | |||
| 6 score draws | £ | <- | YO | U | W | IN | -- | £ | |||||
| 5 score draws | £ | <- | YO | U | W | IN | £ | ||||||
| Prize Payout Indicator | no win | ||||||||||||
| The hotter (redder) the colour, the bigger the payout. Watch out for weeks of 8 Vernons Easy Play score draws - it's the biggest jackpot payout week! Matching 5 Vernons Easy Play score draws usually £5, but more if only 5 Vernons Easy Play score draws occur. In weeks where there are 4 or fewer or 25 or more Vernons Easy Play score draws, the total prize fund rolls over into next week's jackpot prize fund. | |||||||||||||
It is estimated that the occurrence of 12 or more score draws is about every 4 weeks. It is estimated 15 or more score draws will occur about every 6 months and 17 or more score draws will probably only occur every 2.5 years or more. 4 or fewer score draws are expected to occur about twice a year. It is extremely unlikely there will ever be 25 or more score draws in any one week.
When a fixture is postponed for whatever reason, the Vernons Easy Play Random Results Generator will be used to determine the result(s). Any fixture which is either brought forward in time or is abandoned during the match will be valid. For abandoned matches, the score at the time the match was abandoned will apply. Matches which kick-off after 3.00pm BST are treated in 1 or 2 ways. If these matches take place after the game date on your entry, results will be determined by the Random Results Generator. If they kick-off on the day of the game daye on your entry, the result at the end of normal time, including time added on for stoppages, will be valid. Extra time does not count.
Where there are no winning tickets for a particular winning level, the funds for that level are normally added to the prize level below for that week. Therefore, in weeks when no-one matches 8 score draws, the prize fund cascades into the next level down for those who match 7 score draws. In turn, if no-one matches 7 score draws, then the accumulated prize fund cascades down to the next level for those who match 6 score draws. Again, if no-one matches 6 score draws, then the accumulated prize fund is added to the next prize level for those who match 5 score draws.
The whole prize fund is rolled over into the following week's jackpot prize fund when either of the following happens: if there are now winning tickets or if there are 4 or fewer score draws or 25 or more score draws so there is no winning level. This might be expected to happen about twice a year.
In the unlikely event of the accumulated prize fund rolling over for three consecutive weeks and there is still no winner, the prize fund will be paid to The National Lottery Distribution Fund for distribution to the Good Causes.
The chart below illustrates the chances of matching score draws in weeks when there are 7 to 11 score draws - this being the most likely range of score draws expected each week.
| If you match | Number of Vernons Easy Play Score Draws that occur | ||||
| vvvvv | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 8 score draws | No Winner | 1 in 2,733,199 | 1 in 324,814 | 1 in 69,585 | 1 in 20,359 |
| 7 score draws | 1 in 260,304 | 1 in 35,962 | 1 in 8,855 | 1 in 2,951 | 1 in 1,195 |
| 6 score draws | 1 in 4,892 | 1 in 1,388 | 1 in 526 | 1 in 240 | 1 in 125 |
| 5 score draws | 1 in 263 | 1 in 115 | 1 in 59 | 1 in 34 | 1 in 22 |
| Overall chances | 1 in 250 | 1 in 105 | 1 in 53 | 1 in 30 | 1 in 18 |
The overall chances of winning a prize are estimated at 1 in 50 based on the likely number of score draws in a week and their likely frequency of occurring.
The most important feature of the game to note is that the chances of winning each week will vary in line with the number of score draws that occur. For example, as shown in the chart, it is more difficult to match 8 score draws in weeks of only 8 score draws than it is in weeks of 11 score draws. So, the chances of winning a share of the jackpot in weeks of 8 score draws are 1 in 2,733,199 whereas in weeks of 11 score draws they are 1 in 20,359.
Vernons Easy Play provides the opportunity to win or share a substantial jackpot and lots of other cash prizes every week.
However, the payouts each week will vary with the number of score draws that occur, the size of that week's prize fund and the number of winning entries. The chart below shows the estimated* payout for anyone matching 8, 7, 6 or 5 score draws in weeks when 7 to 11 score draws take place - this being the most likely range of score draws expected each week.
| If you match | Number of Vernons Easy Play Score Draws that occur | ||||
| vvvvv | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 8 score draws | No Winner | £668,000 | £55,500 | £9,380 | £1,850 |
| 7 score draws | £67,500 | £1,800 | £395 | £105 | £28 |
| 6 score draws | £530 | £140 | £45 | £17 | £6 |
| 5 score draws | £5 | £5 | £5 | £5 | £5 |
*All figures are based on estimates provided by market research related to 9.5 million game entries per week.
For example, if there were 9 score draws in a particular week, it's estimated you could win £55,500 if you match 8 score draws from your selection of 11 fixtures.
The prize payout for matching 5 score draws is normally guaranteed at £5 except in weeks where there are only 5 score draws, in which case the payout is boosted by the cascade principle or weeks of 12 or more score draws where there is no payout for matching 5 score draws.
The minimum prize payout will be £5 except in the extremely unlikely event that the prize fund (38% of Vernons Easy Play ticket sales) is insufficient to give all winners their minimum prize payout, the whole of the prize fund will be shared equally by all prize winners across all prize levels.
Further information on the prize structure is contained in the Vernons Easy Play Game Rules & Procedures, a copy of which can be inspected at your National Lottery On-Line Games retailer or obtained by telephoning The National Lottery Line on 0845 9100000 (calls charged at the local call rate with the exception of mobile phones).
Your Vernons Easy Play ticket will show the teams in each fixture picked by the terminal as part of your 11 fixture selections. Each week's fixture list of 49 matches will be taken from the following leagues:
N.B. Cup fixtures may be used from time to time but not replays.
Some teams have extra long names - too long to fully fit on the Vernons Easy Play ticket. In these instances, the team name will be abbreviated. For example, Nottingham Forest becomes Nott'm F.; West Bromwich Albion becomes West Brom.; Peterborough United becomes Peterbro. and Greenock Morton becomes G'ck Morton.
If your prize is £75 or less, you can claim it in cash form from any National Lottery On-Line Games retailer. All you've got to do is give them your winning ticket to be validated through their National Lottery terminal. At their discretion, retailers can pay prizes up to £200 in cash. Some National Lottery retailers are authorised to pay prizes of up to £500. National Lottery Post Offices will pay out prizes of up to £10,000, though prizes over £500 will be paid at least partly by cheque.
Anything above £10,000 must be claimed in person from a National Lottery Regional Centre and will be paid by cheque (no cash is held on these premises).
Ring the National Lottery Line for any assistance in claiming your prize on 0845 9100000 (calls charged at the local rate with the exception of mobile phones).
To claim any prize above £500, you will have to complete a National Lottery Prize Claim Form and give proof of your identity. If you are claiming a large prize, additional checks on your winning ticket may be conducted. All Vernons Easy Play prizes must be claimed by 11.00pm 180 days after the date of your winning game entry.
At your own risk, you can also claim your winnings by post. Send your winning ticket and the completed claim form to this address:
The National Lottery,
Claims Dept.,
P.O. Box 287,
Watford WD1 8TT
Remember, Vernons Lotteries Ltd. accepts no responsibility for tickets lost in the post.
If you are a winner, Vernons Lotteries Ltd. will only reveal your identity if you give written consent to publicity. It's important if you think you've won a major prize to telephone the National Lottery Line immediately and certainly before you tell anyone else, so that we can advise you of your publicity options, particularly if you wish to remain anonymous.
Don't forget every time you play Vernons Easy Play, you help the Good Causes. An estimated 28% of Vernons Easy Play proceeds will, over the period of Vernons' licence, go to the Good Causes through such bodies as the Sports Councils, the Arts Councils, the National Lottery Charities Board, the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Millennium Commission (which has been set up to celebrate the advent of the year 2000) as designated by Parliament.
This leaflet is a summary of the full Game Rules and Procedures, if you would like to see a copy or have any questions or complaints about Vernons Easy Play, please speak to your National Lottery On-Line Games retailer or phone the National Lottery Line on 0845 9100000 (calls charged at the local rate with the exception of mobile phones). For the hard of hearing, please call MINICOM on 0845 9100045.
Alternatively, you can write to the address:
The National Lottery,
P.O. Box 1010,
Liverpool L70 1NL
The Player Code of Practice, setting out the services expected for players, is also available from these sources.
In the event of any discrepancy between this leaflet and the Game Rules and Procedures (as amended form time to time), the Game Rules and Procedures apply.
Playing Vernons Easy Play couldn't be easier - so now you know how, there's nothing to stop you playing. After all, you could be one of our jackpot winners.
You must be 16 years or over to play Vernons Easy Play or claim a prize. You must have purchased a Vernons Easy Play ticket by Saturday, 3.00pm BST to be in that Saturday's game during the UK football season. There is then a 5 minute break until 3.05pm BST after which time you can play for the following weeks' games.
Your National Lottery Regional Centres are located in: Belfast, Glasgow, Reigate, Birmingham, Leeds, Sunderland, Cardiff, Liverpool, Watford, Exeter and London. Ask your National Lottery On-Line Games retailer for the full address.
Vernons Easy Play forms part of the National Lottery and is promoted by:
Vernons Lotteries Ltd.,
Fortune House,
Park Line,
Liverpool L68 1AA
under licence granted by the Director General of the National Lottery.
Vernons Easy Play - the National Lottery football game. Every week it's a whole new ball game.
The back of the leaflet shows how to buy your ticket with pictures:
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