uk lottery draw

Originally posted to lotterypost.com website.

Published: June 14, 2010, 7:58 am

The British tradition of national lottery has been traced back to the 16th century — when a jackpot of £5,000 was up for grabs and participants had to wait three years to find out if they were winners.

A letter has emerged from Queen Elizabeth I, written in 1566, which gives instructions for collecting money, commanding that persons of ‘good trust’ be entrusted with the prizes.

The letter was written to Sir John Spencer, advising of 400,000 lots, each costing 10 shillings, with prizes to be paid in a combination of gold and merchandise, including tapestries, linens and fine fabrics.

The jackpot of £5,000 is equivalent to £850,000 pounds today (US$1.3 million), and part of the money raised from ticket sales went to good causes, as is the case in today’s lottery.

The letter states: ‘Where we have com[m]anded a ceratine carte of a Lotterie to be published by our Shirif of Countie in the principall townes of the same…’ And continues: ‘…it is expedient to have somme persons appointed of good trust to receave such particular sommes as our subjects shall of their owne free disposition be ready to deliver upon the said lotterie.’

Monies raised, it states, shall be ‘employed to good and publique acts and beneficially for o[u]r Realme and o[u]r Subjects.’

The letter states that out of every pound sterling, Spencer was allowed sixpence to pay the collectors.

It also stated that he was to issue books of numbers and tickets.

As a final incentive to Spencer, for every £500 pounds sent to London, a further 50 shillings was promised to him.

The draw was not held until three years later 1569, due to a lack of support and the logistics in selling the tickets around the country.

This lottery died out but there were similar draws held between 1750 and 1826.

The letter, which is signed with Elizabeth’s distinctive flourishing signature, is expected to sell for £20,000 – four times the original jackpot — at auction.

Richard Davie, from International Autograph Auctions, who is selling the letter, said: ‘This letter shows that the idea of a lottery to raise money is nothing new.

‘Tickets were sold and a jackpot was drawn and the money raised was intended for good causes.

‘It was exactly like the one we have today, although they didn’t have scratch cards.

‘This was not an instant success because the draw did not happen until three years after Elizabeth sent her instructions to Sir John Spencer.

‘The letter includes a good blind embossed paper seal and is two pages long with her distinctive, flourishing signature.

‘It is a unique item and highly collectable. It has been put up for sale by a collector and there will be interest from a number of enthusiasts.’

The sale is on Sunday at the Edwardian Radisson Hotel at Heathrow in London.

http://www.lotterypost.com/news/215804

Technorati Tags: british national lottery, lottery website, lottory, natinal lottery, national lotery, uk lottery draw, united kingdom lottery

The extraordinary story of someone wrongly identified as the winner of a record lottery payout.

Originally posted to the AsianImage.co.uk website

12:40pm Friday 11th June 2010

Exclusive By Asian Image reporter

A couple who have been wrongly accused of winning £84million in the Euro lottery have spoken of their nightmare.

They claim they have had people knocking on their door wanting their mortgages repaid and others asking for new gold teeth.

The constant barrage of requests in the past few weeks has left them angry.

The rumours surfaced after it was believed an Asian person from the region had won £84million in the Euro Millions lottery in May. The winner has opted for the right to anonymity.

The man known as BK works in Blackburn and lives in Preston exclusively told Asian Image, “I was working in my office when I got the first phone call. I laughed it off at first and thought nothing of it.

“But thereafter, the avalanche of calls, text messages and emails began. Close friends and family, immediately accepted that I had not won the £84 million.

“A friend, who I worked with some years ago and now living in China, another in Washington DC, also got news of the ‘rumour’. We were amazed at the speed and distance a rumour like this could go.

“All of a sudden long-lost relatives, past associates, friends of friends and total strangers, were suddenly looking to contact me.

“Individuals suddenly recollected an event or passing interaction that we may have had. Thereby, claiming by ‘right’ a share of the winnings.”

The winning amount according to the Euro Millions website was £84,451,320.60 for the draw held on May 14. The prize made the winner the 789th richest person in the UK with a larger personal fortune than the likes of Sir Sean Connery (£80m).

Asian Image was even called to be told of BK’s winnings.

The nature of the requests were weird and bizarre. BK said: “We had requests for motorbikes, diamonds, second homes in Dubai, sports cars, loans and mortgages to be repaid and even gold teeth. The list was endless.

“Wealthy individuals were also trying to jump on the bandwagon. It got both funny and ridiculous when close friends had people knocking on their doors late at night by ‘strangers’ asking for them to be introduced to me and pay off their ‘mortgages’ or ‘debts’.

“The one single vital point was that, all those who requested something financial or material, did not ask for me to help or aid someone else in need or the poor.”

He was also taken aback by those wanting money that would in particular circles be termed as ‘haram’.

BK added: “One individual contradicted himself to the point where his opening sentence was ‘the winnings were haram (forbidden) and I should return them, but it would be okay for a contribution to a ‘Islamic Girls School in Dewsbury’.

“Another individual phoned for building a new mosque in Bolton, when he finally accepted that I had not won, he confirmed that he was just looking for his personal debts to be paid off.

“A neighbour called round one evening and would not believe me at all, it took him ages to leave, waiting for a confession.

“Distant relatives in the Midlands claimed they had documentary proof that I had won, stating my details were in the London press. Believe me I searched for ages on the internet and could find no reference to me.”

He said he had stopped answering his phone after the first week, but somehow people found ways to contact him.

BK added: “What I have learned about people over the last weeks is that there have been individuals who I have classed as good people, family and friends. And they have been just that ‘good people’.

“As for the ‘gossiper’s’ they live so called outwardly false religious lives, inwardly full of envy and hate and living a life of ‘gheebat’.

“My advice to any winner is – the ones you classed as family and friends, will always be just that. Look after the poor, needy and hard-working wherever you find them and whatever race and religion they are. The honest ones will never ask for anything.”

© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group

http://www.asianimage.co.uk

Technorati Tags: british national lottery, european lottery, loterry, lottory, natinal lottery, national lotery, uk lottery draw, united kingdom lottery

Originally posted to the Stirling Observer website.

Jun 4 2010 by Stephen Robertson, Stirling Observer Friday

A CHURCH in Aberfoyle has landed a lottery cash boost of almost £10,000.

St Mary’s Episcopal Church, in Main Street, picked up the £9847 award in the recent round of grants from the National Lottery’s small grants scheme, Awards for All.

It will be put to good use to help improve public safety access and the facilities of the church itself.

Railings will be put in place, an audio and public address system will be installed and stackable chairs will also be bought.

A number of other community groups and charities in and around Stirling were also celebrating after being selected to receive grant funding.

Among these were the Stirling-based Aberlour Child Care Trust, which received a £7251 award.

Elsewhere, The Strathendrick Pipe Band Association were awarded £5,000 to buy equipment that will enable members to attend four major pipe band competitions.

Strathblane Out of School Care Ltd received £4865 for play equipment and summer excursions, and the Braehead and Broomridge Childminding Support Group landed £4715 which will be used to pay for things such as hall and equipment rental, snacks, activities and trips.

ACE Cornton, the community based adult learning project, also got a £4000 award to help develop peer support and mentoring services.

http://www.stirlingobserver.co.uk/stirling-news/local-news-stirling/news-stirling/2010/06/04/lottery-tees-up-a-10k-boost-for-aberfoyle-church-51226-26581928/

Technorati Tags: british national lottery, european lottery, loterry, lottery website, natinal lottery, national lotery, uk lottery draw, united kingdom lottery