Torbay lottery revived

Players can choose a cause of their choice

Torbay Council’s cabinet decided that the online lottery’s ‘pilot’ between April 2017 and December 2021 was a success, with more than 265,000 tickets sold and £160,000 raised for 131 local causes.

For every £1 ticket sold by the lottery, 60p goes back to good causes.

Players are able to select their own good cause or can support the general Torbay Lottery which is then allocated by the council once a year. Local good causes can apply for a grant of up to £2,000.

One of the biggest beneficiaries has been PATH Torbay, a charity helping people in food poverty or at risk of homelessness. 

For players, the jackpot of the weekly lottery is £25,000 for six matching figures. Odds of winning that are a million-to-one. The lowest cash prize is £25. 

Councillor David Thomas (Conservative, Preston) said the lottery was a “good news story” and said he wanted it to be advertised more around the Bay. 

The contract with Gatherwell Ltd, a Maidenhead company that organises local lotteries will be renewed for four years, with the option for a two-year extension after that. The current agreement ends in May. 

The council does not pay any money towards the prizes but will pay Gatherwell £50,000 over the next four years to run the lottery.