Channel Islands Lottery jackpot prize shrinks

The head of the Channel Islands Lottery has said falling jackpot sizes do not mean people have stopped playing, but reflected changing spending habits and increased competition for people's money.

Jon Taylor said the Christmas Lottery remained stable in its 50th anniversary year, but fewer people were spending large amounts on tickets, particularly outside peak periods like Christmas.

The 2025 Christmas Lottery Draw will be drawn at 18:00 GMT on Thursday but the top prize has decreased from last year.

Mr Taylor said the days of million-pound jackpots were "long gone", with this year's Christmas top prize sitting at about £492,215, compared to more than £1.4m in previous years.

Mr Taylor added cost-of-living pressures and the rise of other prize draws, including online raffles, had changed how people engage with the lottery.

"We still have lots of people playing, but they're just not spending in the volume they used to," he said.

Mr Taylor added the Christmas Lottery continues to generate about £2.7m a year for charities and good causes across Guernsey and Jersey, with similar levels of participation in both islands.

He said the lottery would need to evolve, with its current game-maker contract with Scientific Games International up for renewal in 2027, and possible changes including new draw formats and a greater focus on responsible play.

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