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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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lottery
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Britain was until recently the only country in the EU not to have a lottery, but in October 1993 the National Lottery Bill received royal assent. In May 1994 the francise to run the lottery was awarded to the Camelot consortium. Lottery tickets are sold in shops, garages etc. The main game involves selecting six of the numbers 1 to 49; the ticket seller inserts the marked card into a special terminal, which transmits the selected number to a central computer; numbers are drawn on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with the draw shown live on television. There are lesser prizes for having marked three, four or five of the correct digits.
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After prize money (50%), tax (12%) and adminstration expenses have been deducted, the remaining lottery funds (approximately 25%) have been distributed by five independent boards concentrating on the arts, sport, charities, national heritage and in the early years the millennium (projects to celebrate the year 2000). From 2000 the millennium share was diverted to a New Opportunities Fund, concerned primarily with community education projects.
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