What is the National Lottery and how does it work?

As today is National Lottery Day the spotlight is falling on the fantastic array of organisations that have benefited from lottery funding, and a series of special events and celebrations are taking place all across the nation. So log on to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk and check out the activities at a lottery-funded location near you.

Over £17bn in National Lottery funding has been raised and its impact has been massive. More than 200,000 awards have been made to projects including museums, sports facilities, visitor attractions and heritage buildings nationwide. So, playing The National Lottery is not just about individuals, although by the time you've read this line, 40 people will have won a prize. It's simple and convenient to play: either by subscription; through the website, www.national-lottery.co.uk; via Sky TV, by text message or the good old "visit-the-shop way".

Since The National Lottery began, the price of a Lotto ticket has remained at £1. Of this, 50 per cent is paid out in prizes, 28 per cent goes to Good Causes, 12 per cent heads to the Government, 5 per cent covers retailer commission, 4.5 per cent is used by Camelot for operating costs and 0.5 per cent goes to shareholders.

So why not buy a ticket? Your luck might be about to change. It's the nation's chance to dream...