Lottery jackpot breaks half a million

Monday 19 December 2022

The first prize in this year's Channel Island's Christmas Lottery will be more than half a million pounds but it is unlikely to reach last year's high of £630,000.

The winning tickets will be drawn tomorrow with the numbers announced at 18:30.

By this weekend the guaranteed first prize was £510,000 and it will continue climbing with every ticket sold today and tomorrow. 

Any ticket which has been sold to a distributer will be in the draw.

Pictured: For a few years the lottery could claim to be a "millionaire maker". 

The jackpot could be the lowest it has been since 2008, when the top prize was £553,000. The year after that it was higher at £651,000, and the headline prize amount rose steadily over the following decade often going over a million pounds.

The prize pot started contracting again after changes were made to the ticket price in 2018. Although the price was reversed from £3 back to £2 in 2020, the effect of the covid pandemic and the increasing cost of living have been blamed for the change in people's spending habits. 

Jon Taylor, Senior Lottery Officer said ticket sales are increasing as the draw date gets closer as they always do, and he expects that will continue during the final two days of sales. 

“As we have seen in previous years sales have accelerated as the draw gets closer," he said. "Resellers are anticipating a busy last few days ahead of the draw next Tuesday 20 December. 

"As well as the jackpot of more than half a million pounds, the draw will also include more than 60 other prizes, of between £500 and £50,000. 

“Over recent years we have changed the format of prizes as a result of extensive pan island research carried out in 2020. Approximately 80% of respondents asked for more prizes and therefore more winners than before.”

Pictured: Charities will benefit from the proceeds of this year's lottery regardless of the jackpot prize total.

Proceeds from the Channel Islands Lottery go to good causes across the islands.

Guernsey's share of the profits is distributed through the Social Investment Fund, which directs the financial support to charities and other good causes. 

Mr Taylor said applications for the next round of small grant applications will open shortly.

“The Lottery provides funding to the Social Investment Fund’s small grants programme. Many charities and worthy causes have benefited in recent years and everyone involved in the CI Lottery instant games are proud of the significant funds we have raised.”