WYN WYN!
We’re all double winners with the Loteri Cymru. With a better chance of winning a cash prize compared to some other lotteries and all the money raised staying in Wales, it truly is a Wyn Wyn for Wales.
Launched in April, Loteri Cymru is the first all-Wales lottery with all funds raised going exclusively to good causes in Wales. To date over £200,000 has been won in prizes (will be more by the print date), and 13 local charities have benefitted from the first round of grants from Hanfod Cymru, an independent charity set up to distribute the funds.
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​And it’s so easy to play. Simply go online at www.loteri.cymru, set up an account (a very straightforward, one time only, process) and then choose whether to buy tickets on an ad hoc basis or via a subscription (by Direct Debit or debit card). To play the main loto game, you pick 5 numbers from 39, or get a random selection by choosing the Fast Play option. It’s that simple.
Prizes are won for matching 2, 3, 4 and 5 numbers out of 39 and the overall odds of winning a prize are 1:9 – and the odds for matching 5 numbers and winning the top prize of £25,000 are fantastic at about 1: 575,000, compared to the National Lottery lotto at over 1 in 45 million!
Plus, the prizes are not shared – if you match the numbers, you get the full amount. £25,000 for 5, £250 for 4, £10 for 3 and a free entry for the following week for matching just 2 numbers. In addition, every loto line played qualifies for the monthly loto+ free prize draw, where 10 x £1,000 prizes are up for grabs – so that’s 2 chances to win every time you play (excludes any £25,000 jackpot winning lines).
With over £200,000 in prizes to date, 1 jackpot winner so far, 85 £1,000 winners and even 1 winner lucky enough to win 2 prizes of £1,000, there’s a real chance that when you sit down to watch the weekly draw every Friday at 8pm on S4C (ticket sales close at 7pm) you’ll be a winner too.
Natalie Rowley, 26, from Canton, (pictured) who won one of 10 coveted loto+ £1,000 monthly giveaways said: “I’ve been playing loto with Loteri Cymru since the first draw and have won a few free plays but when I received the email saying I was a cash winner I was so excited. My partner and I have recently moved into a house so we’ve got quite a bit of extra space which we need to fill! We’ll also be using my winnings to help pay for a trip to Italy next summer.” “I’m going to carry on playing loto as the odds are really strong and it’s nice to know you’re helping local charities. With Loteri Cymru, you can see the tangible difference your money makes to these good Welsh causes.”
Wales’ first ever Loteri Cymru jackpot winner, a young couple who are now £25,000 richer after they matched five numbers in the Loto draw on Friday 25th August said: “We’re still in shock. We liked the fact that in doing so we were helping Welsh causes and we knew it was not-for-profit. “As we have a young family, it’s really set us up but to know we’ve changed our lives and helped Welsh causes in the process – that’s really significant for us.”
But it won’t just be lucky punters winning. At least 20% of money raised by Loteri Cymru will be distributed by a new, independent charity – Hanfod Cymru - to specifically support good causes, the length and breadth of Wales with an initial emphasis on general social needs, on the arts and creativity and on educational projects. Thirteen charities have received grants in the first Small Grants programme:
Abe Sampson, Techniquest said: “This grant will make an enormous difference to our work with schools in disadvantaged areas. Being able to offer our programme to encourage pupils in the spheres of science, technology, engineering and maths without a cost to the school or the pupils, is very important.”
Lowri Jones, Menter Iaith Caerffili said: “We were very glad to have received this grant for a new project to coordinate volunteering opportunities in Welsh across the county. This will provide another new opportunity for individuals to be able to speak Welsh in the county, a need that has been obvious for some time.”
Kate Gibbs, Swansea Community Farm said: “The grant we received from Hanfod Cymru towards refocusing and expanding the Community Farm’s activities will make a huge difference to the local community. Increasing the use of the farm will both fulfill a local need and provide a new source of income for the Community Farm which is run by volunteers.”
To find out more about Hanfod Cymru visit www.hanfodcymru.wales
