UK National Lottery Launches Mobile Version

UK National Lottery operator Camelot has launched a new mobile-friendly version of its website, allowing players to use their smartphone devices to purchase tickets, check results and manage their accounts.

Camelot's new mobile platform will allow players to purchase tickets for all draw-based games from their mobile devices. Through the new mobile-optimised website, they will also be able to check lottery results, and manage payments and details of their national lottery accounts.

The product has been designed to be compatible with a wide range of smartphones, including iPhone iOS3 and above, Android 2.3 and above, and Blackberry 6 and above. Most of the regular functions found on the online version will be available to mobile users, although they will not be able to play Instant Win games or create or manage Direct Debit use.

Customers will be able to buy tickets, access and manage their accounts whenever they wish, Camelot Marketing Director Richard Bateson said. He added that there will be no need to remember a new address. If you mobile is supported, it will be recognised that you are using a smartphone and you will be redirected straight to the mobile site.

Online lotteries are set to become the latest trend in the United States, with Illinois this week becoming the first US state to sell lottery tickets through the Internet. Within hours of Sunday's launch, thousands of tickets had been sold and sales were booming as excited participants flocked to purchase online.

Illinois Lottery officials, who have hailed online sales as a way to keep up with modern innovation and to boost state coffers, said they expected the rapid sales to continue through to Tuesday evening's Mega Millions drawing. The jackpot for that draw will likely reach an estimated $356 million.