UK National Lottery Subscription Leaflet

It took almost three and half years for Camelot to finally publish a leaflet about the subscription service that they've been running since the lottery began. Unsurprisingly, retailers don't have this leaflet available (they lose their 5% commission with subscriptions, so there's no incentive to tell any of their customers about them !), so I got mine by phoning Camelot on 0645 125 000. The March 1998 leaflet Subscribe Today - It's The Easy Way To Play is reproduced without permission below.

Introducing the National Lottery

Over a million people in the UK win a National Lottery prize each week. Each time, someone could become a millionaire. It could be absolutely anyone. It could be you. Only one thing's certain. If you're not playing, you can't win.

All you do is choose six numbers from 1 to 49. If at least three of the numbers you choose match any of the six main numbers drawn, you're a winner.

If your six numbers match the six main numbers that are drawn - in any order - you are a jackpot winner. You also win a prize by matching five out of the six, or four out of the fix. Even by matching only three of the main numbers you will normally win £10.

There is also a seventh 'bonus number' drawn. If you match five of the main numbers drawn and the bonus number, you are a winner in the second highest prize category.

The National Lottery is open to everyone aged 16 or over.

Subscribe today - it's the easy way to play

The easiest way to play The National Lottery is by subscription. Subscribers can choose to enter the Wednesday draw only, the Saturday draw only or both draws. You can enter up to seven sets of numbers per Subscription for 26, 52 or 104 consecutive draws. And you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Your selected numbers will be automatically entered in The National Lottery for your chosen number of draws. Each set of six numbers you choose will cost you £1 for each draw for which they are entered. You will be sent a Subscription Certificate confirming your numbers and the draw dates for which they have been entered.

Please note that your address for correspondence must be in the UK, and not the Isle of Man, Channel Islands or British Forces Post Office.

Subscription - a unique gift

You may decide to give someone a Subscription to The National Lottery as a gift. Remember that they must be 16 or over. To make this gift personal, a message can be printed on the Subscription Certificate - all you need to do is complete the gift section on the Subscription application form.

We will send the Subscription Certificate to the person you name as recipient and you must check with them that the Certificate correctly shows the numbers you selected and the appropriate number of draws.

If you give the Subscription as a gift, it will take the effect of an assignment of your rights under the Subscription. In those circumstances, the person you have nominated will be the person entitled to any prize under the Subscription. Completion of the gifting section of the Subscription application form takes effect as notice to Camelot Group plc that you are assigning your rights in the Subscription to the person nomination and you personally will have no further rights in the Subscription.

Any discrepancy must be notified to us by calling 01923 425086 at least eight days before the first draw shown on the Subscription Certificate.

Remember:
(i) Only cheques from a UK bank account are valid.
(ii) No Direct Debit payments accepted for gift purchase.

It could be you - what you can win

The more numbers you match, the money you can win. Below, you'll see how the prize money will be shared out and what the odds are of winning at each level. It is estimated that there will be around a million winners every week.

Winning Selections                    Odds      Your Estimated Prize (£) ^*
Jackpot: Match 6 main nos.       1 in 13,983,816       2,000,000
Match 5 main nos. + bonus no.    1 in  2,330,636         100,000
Match 5 main nos.                1 in     55,492           1,500
Match 4 main nos.                1 in      1,033              62
Match 3 main nos.                1 in         57              10

The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 54.
^* Subject to the Rules for On-line Games and The National Lottery Game Procedures as amended from time-to-time.

Remember that the exact value of prizes depends on how many tickets are sold and how many people match the same quantity of numbers as you. For example, if two or more people match the six match numbers drawn, then the jackpot is split between them.

Match 3 prizes will always be £10 except in the extremely unlikely event that the prize fund (45% of the draw sales) is insufficient to give all winners £10 each. If it is, then the whole of the prize fund is shared equally by all the prize winners.

Rollovers

If no-one has chosen the six main numbers drawn, no-one wins the jackpot prize and it is rolled over to the next draw e.g. if no-one wins a Saturday draw, the jackpot rolls over to the following Wednesday. If no-one wins a Wednesday draw, the jackpot rolls over to the following Saturday.

How you'll know if you're a winner

We will automatically check your numbers for you and will contact you if you have won the jackpot or any prize over £10,000. Prizes over £10,000 must be claimed in person from a National Lottery Regional Centre. If you win from £501 to £10,000, we will send you a claim form which must be completed to claim your prize. For prizes of £500 or below, we will send you a cheque by post within seven days.

Publicity

If you are a winner, The National Lottery will only reveal your identity if you give written consent to publicity or if we are placed under legal obligation to do so (e.g. court order). If you've won a major prize, it's important to telephone The National Lottery Line on 0645 100 000 (calls normally charged at the local rate) immediately and preferably before you tell anyone else, so that we can advise you of your publicity options. The National Lottery Subscription Service is completely confidential.

Fun for you, funds for Good Causes

Don't forget, every time you play The National Lottery, you help the Good Causes designated by Parliament. Around 28% of The National Lottery proceeds will, over the period of Camelot's operating licence, go to the five Good Causes - The Sports Councils, The Arts Councils, The National Lottery Charities Board, The Heritage Lottery Fund and The Millennium Commission, which has been set up to celebrate the advent of the year 2000.

What next?

After we've processed your applications, we'll send you a Subscription Certificate. The date of the first draw in which your numbers will be entered will be shown on the Subscription Certificate. It will take about four weeks from submitting your application to your numbers being entered into the draw.

Your numbers remain the same for the 26, 52 or 104 draws that you have chosen. You are responsible for checking your numbers, draw day(s) and number of draws on your Subscription Certificate.

Should the details on your Certificate not correspond with your choices, you must notify us immediately by calling 01923 425086 or notify us by post at least eight days before the first draw date on your Subscription Certificate.

If your cheque or Direct Debit payment fails, your numbers will not be entered into the draw. We will notify you that your Subscription is not valid and will also give you the opportunity to re-apply.

Please make a note of your chosen set(s) of numbers in the spaces provided below. [Grid follows containing spaces to fill in your numbers and mark whether they are for Saturday, Wednesday or both draws]

YOUR NUMBERS WILL NOT BE ENTERED INTO THE NATIONAL LOTTERY DRAW UNTIL THE DATE SHOWN ON YOUR SUBSCRIPTION CERTIFICATE.

Payment

You can pay by cheque, postal order or Direct Debit (see application form for details).

If you have decided to pay by Direct Debit, you don't need to pay the full amount immediately. Payments will be collected during the Subscription period from your bank account in advance, on or shortly after a pre-arranged date every 13 draws. These dates will be included on your Certificate.

Remember, you cannot use Direct Debit to purchase a Subscription as a gift.

Please ensure there are sufficient funds in your bank account to cover payment.

Subscribe today

Make entering The National Lottery easy by completing and returning the Subscription application form today. You never know - one of the winners could be you.

If you change your address, please notify us immediately in writing to:

The National Lottery,
P.O. Box 251,
Watford
WD1 8GD

Please note that your correspondence address must be in the UK and not the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or British Forces Post Office.

If you would like more information on The National Lottery or would like a copy of the Rules for On-line Games and The National Lottery Games Procedures or would like a copy of the Player Code of Practice, please write to this address:

The National Lottery,
P.O. Box 1010,
Liverpool
L70 1NL

If there are any queries or discrepancies regarding your application, we will return your Subscription Form, together with a letter explaining why.

If you have not received your Subscription Certificate within two weeks, please call The National Lottery Subscription Service on 01923 425086. You must not assume that your numbers are entered in the draw if you have not received your Subscription Certificate.

Approximately 6 weeks before your Subscription expires, we will send you a renewal form and ask you if you wish to continue subscribing to The National Lottery.

The National Lottery Subscription Service is operated by Camelot Group plc, the operator of The National Lottery. The agreement between a Subscriber and Camelot Group plc is governed by The National Lottery On-line Game Rules and The National Lottery Game Procedures. In the event of any inconsistency between the information in this leaflet and the On-line Game Rules and Procedures, the current Rules and Procedures prevail.

SUMMARY OF THE GAME'S revised (May '98) Game Rules and Procedures RELATING TO SUBSCRIPTIONS

Upon acceptance of a completed Subscription application form (the "Subscription") and payment in full, or upon the first Direct Debit payment, we will process and send to the Subscriber's address entered on that form (or the Recipient's address if applicable), a Subscription Certificate (the "Certificate") which will give details of the Subscription as recorded on our central computer system.
Any Subscription payable by cheque or Postal Order for which we have not received payment in cleared funds prior to the date on which it would have become a winning Subscription, or in respect of which the Direct Debit fails, is void and shall not in any case entitle its holder to a prize.
Where the Subscriber's payment in respect of the relevant On-line Game drawing is dishonoured, the Subscriber's number selection(s) will not be entered into the drawing.
We may, at our discretion, refuse to accept a Subscription.
Selections and Subscriber names may not be changed until the renewal of the Subscription.
Any changes to the Subscriber's or Recipient's address must be made in writing and signed by the Subscriber or Recipient, providing details of the change and including the Subscription reference number.
The notification should be sent to the designated address appearing on the Subscription application form.
A Subscription shall be deemed to have been received by us on the date of the first draw recorded on the Certificate.
Except as hereinafter provided, the Certificate shall confirm that for the recorded number of consecutive draws of the recorded frequency held by us from and including the starting date shown therein, the Subscriber is deemed to have purchased the set(s) of six numbers indicated by the Certificate.
It is the responsibility of the Subscriber to verify or, where applicable, the responsibility of the Recipient to verify with the Subscriber that the Certificate correctly shows the number of selections, and the number, frequency and commencement date of the draws.
In the event of a discrepancy between the numbers contained in the Subscription or the Certificate and those contained in our central computer system, only the numbers recorded in our central computer system participate in the draw dates recorded therein.
Our liability for any loss suffered by a Subscriber as a result of any discrepancy, whether or not the same was caused by an act of ourselves, our employees, retailers or agents, and whether in negligence or otherwise, is limited to the amount of the Subscription.
Cheques for prizes of £10,000 or less may be sent by mail.
If the prize is from £501 to £10,000, the Subscriber or Recipient will be sent a claim form. After this form is completed and received by us, the cheque will be posted.
Prize winnings of over £10,000 must be claimed in person. We will contact the Subscriber or Recipient and invite him/her to a Regional Centre.
Winners may be required to present the Certificate together with other identification as proof of entitlement for prizes.
We reserve the right to cancel, alter or modify at any time the whole or any part of the On-line Game subscribed for, and/or any Subscription or any condition attaching to Subscriptions.
In the event of a cancellation of a draw, we will extend the Subscription to an appropriate alternative draw. In the event of our decision to cancel a Subscription, we will make a proportionate refund to the Subscriber or Recipient.
In the event of alteration or modification of an On-line game or draw, or any conditions attaching to Subscriptions, we may cancel the existing Certificate and issue a new Certificate reflecting such alterations or modifications.
The new Certificate shall be effective from the first draw date recorded on the Certificate.
Where the Subscriber has assigned his/her rights in a Subscription to a Recipient and given notice to the Company of that assignment, all rights and obligations in respect of the Subscription (except for the obligation to pay for the Subscription) will vest in the Recipient.
A recipient must be 16 years or age or more.

Don't forget

1. Sign your Subscription form.
2. Enclose your payment or Direct Debit form.
3. You must complete the Subscription form with a UK address (not the Isle of Man or Channel Islands or British Forces Post Office).
4. You must be 16 years or over and if you are buying this Subscription as a gift, the recipient must be 16 years or over.
5. You must inform us if you change your address or bank account. Notify us immediately by writing to:
The National Lottery,
P.O. Box 251,
Watford
WD1 8GD
Please note that your address for correspondence and bank account must be in the UK, and not the Isle of Man, Channel Islands or British Forces Post Office.

For further information on The National Lottery visit the website at: "http://www.national-lottery.co.uk/" [ironically, the official site has virtually nothing on subscriptions !]

My notes:

Nowhere in the Subscription rules does it state that someone from outside the UK is ineligible to subscribe. However, Camelot have made it difficult (but not impossible) to do so because of the UK correspondence address and UK cheque, postal order or Direct Debit requirements. However, this leaves the loophole open for someone outside the UK to set up a UK bank account (is that possible ?) to issue cheques from and a UK postal box which forwards the mail on. Of course, this isn't cheap and would cost £150 or more a year to set up, so only the most fanatical would try it.
What happens if someone from the UK subscribes, but then moves outside the UK half-way through their subscription period ? When they inform Camelot of the change of address, would the subscription be terminated and the remainder refunded ? What if they kept quiet and just had their mail forwarded until the Subscription finished ?
Under 16-year-olds can get UK bank accounts (though it's fairly unusual admittedly) - I wonder if Camelot check the age of their subscribers ?
All this paper-shuffling is depressing - you should be able to subscribe at least via the phone with a credit card number or, even better, via the Internet of course. If they took credit cards, then they could open up subscriptions to the rest of the world (presumably they don't like non-UK funds because of the processing charges).