THE new Somerset West Lottery - with a £25,000 top prize – is due to go live tomorrow (Tuesday June 13) with the first draw taking place on Saturday July 29.
The local on-line lottery has been set up by West Somerset and Taunton Deane councils and is open to anyone aged over 16 in a bid to raise money for charities and local good causes in the two areas.
With council budgets restricted, the lottery is seen as a way to provide funding to such groups.
It costs £1 per game to play and 60 per cent of each ticket will go to local good causes with the rest going towards the prize money, an external lottery manager who will run the game, and VAT.
The top weekly prize will be £25,000.
Players will be able to set up a monthly payment in advance with the option for a three, six or 12 month repeating subscription by direct debit or payment card.
Winners will be informed via email and will have the money transferred automatically to their chosen bank account.
Everyone who buys a ticket for the first draw will be entered for the chance to win a two-night stay at the Royal Seven Stars Hotel in Totnes, a sister hotel to the Luttrell Arms Hotel in Dunster, whose owners, Anne and Nigel Way, have donated the prize.
Although tickets are bought on-line, there will be a launch event on Tuesday in the foyer of Tesco’s store in Minehead between 2.30am and 3.30pm, as well as one in Taunton in the morning.