iGaming Business – UK National Lottery operator Camelot Group has reported that ticket sales during the six-month period from April 1 to September 27, 2014 have increased to the second-highest interim total since the launch of the lottery in 1994.

Camelot said that ticket sales reached around £3.5 billion (€4.5 billion/$5.6 billion) during the first half of the 2014-15 financial year, which is up by about £158 million on the corresponding period last year.

The operator said ticket sales were driven by strong growth in Lotto, which was re-launched last year, and instant games, the latter of which broke several records in the period due to higher prize payouts and the rollout of up to 10,000 standalone terminals.

In October 2013, the price of a Lotto ticket doubled to £2.

Camelot noted that total ticket sales would have been even higher had the EuroMillions enjoyed as many big jackpot draws as it did during the first half of the previous year.

During the full 2013-14 financial year, National Lottery sales totalled more than £6.7 billion.

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