Gamblers in the U.K. are threatening to boycott the National Lottery after a giant jackpot of £28.6million (US million) recently rolled over for the 30th time. According to the U.K. Telegraph, critics have labeled the lottery a “farce.”
SBC News reports that under new rules established in October, it’s harder than ever to get lucky: to hit the jackpot, a player must have all six balls, or five balls plus the bonus number. “You are more likely to get struck by lightning (576,000 to one), become an astronaut (one in 12.1 million) or be crushed by a meteorite (one in 700,000)” than win big in the Camelot lottery, the publication jeered.
Last week’s drawing resulted in 78 winners who matched five balls. But they only won £883 (US$1,263) each. One winner did bag a £1 million prize in the raffle draw and another 20 players took home £20,000.
Camelot defended the new rules, saying they are “designed to deliver more money for National Lottery Good Causes by having bigger, more exciting jackpots and creating more millionaires than ever before.
“So far there has been a record-breaking £66 million jackpot, which saw huge levels of excitement and unprecedented demand for tickets,” the agency proclaimed. “Over 80 millionaires or multi-millionaires have been created in just over four months—including six lucky jackpot winners.
“As everyone knows, bigger jackpots and more millionaires mean more sales, and more sales mean more money for good causes—which is what The National Lottery is all about.”
Last weekend, the jackpot rose again to £32.8 million.
