The bosses of the UK’s National Lottery are bringing out the big guns in their desperate attempt to woo back the angry punters who have threatened to boycott the game.
Camelot Group, which operates the National Lottery, is reportedly offering Britons flowers and dinners as a little thank you for playing Lotto,” according to local media.
The Express reported that Camelot bosses have turned to promises of gifts, which included discounted meals at Greene King pubs, a month’s magazine subscription or £5 off flowers at Flowers Direct.
A separate report from the Daily Star stated that Camelot sent out emails and had leaflets in stores titled, “Claim your little treat from Lotto now,” which tells customers that they will receive a gift after going online to enter their ticket’s serial number.
Another gift that was up for grabs was a “free two-day pass for two at Fitness First,” according to the Daily Star.
Back in October, the UK’s National Lottery added 10 more balls to its set of 49 balls, effectively reducing the odds of winning from one in 14 million to one in 45 million. This prompted many gambling enthusiasts to start turning to National Lottery’s rival Health Lottery and to foreign lotteries, where they said they have higher chances of winning.
Last month, the National Lottery reached a record £66 million following a large number of rollovers—29 since the rule change was introduced last year—before it was won by two people.
In a statement, Camelot said the new set-up will mean jackpots bigger than the winnings offered by EuroMillions, which have previously overshadowed Lotto’s winnings.
The lottery operator also pointed out that sales of both the Lotto and the National Lottery have increased since October, when the change took effect, but sales figures for that period were not made public.
