1. How can I join the lottery?

You can sign up for the lottery and pay by Direct Debit which means we pay less in administration costs.  In order to be entered into the lottery you need to be in credit each week, therefore your first payment will be taken around September 2011.  If you choose to pay monthly by Direct Debit then the amount will be £4.34. This equates to £52 a year (4.34 x 12 = 52.08).  Paying by Direct Debit means you will always be in credit.

 

You can also pay quarterly (£13 per number), six monthly (£26 per number) or annually (£52 per number) by Direct Debit.  If you wish to pay by cheque or credit card the minimum payment is £13 which will keep you in credit for 13 weeks.  If you do not make another payment before this money runs out we will write to you and remind you that your funds are running low. 

 

Alternatively you can sign up to pay for the lottery through Payroll Giving.  Please call Esther on 01708 771417 for more information about paying this way.

 

2. Can I choose my number?

No – you will be allocated a membership number(s) in a similar way to when you buy a raffle ticket.  Your number will be unique to you and will be entered into the draw each week as long as you are in credit.  When the computer selects a number at random it selects the whole membership number in a similar way to how we choose a winner in a raffle.  Therefore you will never have to share your prize money, unless you have joined a syndicate of course.

 

3. Please explain the roll over prize?

Each week a computer will select one membership number out of 89,999 at random and in the case of 1st and 3rd prizes if no one owns that number it will reselect until it chooses a number that is owned by someone.  In the case of 2nd prize if the first number the computer selects at random is not owned by anyone it will roll over to the following week until the prize fund reaches £25,000 at which point it will become a guaranteed prize and the membership number will be selected in the same way as for 1st and 3rd prizes.  Therefore if 4,000 numbers have been purchased there will be a 95% chance that the 2nd prize will roll over.

 

4. How many numbers can I have?

The maximum you can have is 20 which would cost £86.80 a month.

 

5. Can we play in a syndicate?

Yes – please see how to set up a syndicate

 

6. Why do I send my form to an external agency - Sterling?

Sterling do the administration for most hospice lotteries in the UK.  They are very cost effective and have an outstanding reputation. Sterling are registered with the Gambling Commission as External Lottery Managers and with the Information Commissioner's Office under the Data Protection Act 1998, and are members of the Lotteries Council.  

 

7. How will I know if I have won?

We will advertise the winning numbers on this website each week and in the following local papers: Romford Recorder, Brentwood Recorder, Ilford Recorder, Woodford Recorder and Barking & Dagenham Post.  We will ring the winner on Friday each week after the draw.  You do not need to claim your prize as it will be send out to you automatically in the post.  If you change your address please call our lottery helpline 0870 050 2177.

8. What is the benefit of having more than one number?

As well as increasing your chance of winning, it also means you have the opportunity to win 1st AND 2nd prize or 1st and 3rd prize or 2nd and 3rd prize.  This will be particularly relevant when the rollover prize is worth more than 1st prize, because if you have one number and win the 1st prize your number will not be entered again so you will not be able to win the 2nd prize.  However if you have 2 or 3 numbers then it is possible to win more than once each week.  This would be incredibly lucky, but it has been known to happen!

9. Can I win more than once?

Yes - each week your number(s) will be entered into the draw, so even if you won 1st prize the previous week your chance of winning does not change.

10. How do I buy more numbers once I have already signed up?

You can complete a new form, but add your existing membership number so that we can link them.

 

11. How do I know my payment has arrived safely?

You can call our lottery helpline 0870 050 2177.

12. How can I check how much credit I have?

You can call our lottery helpline 0870 050 2177.