Go-ahead for racing's rival lottery

A new lottery game already being televised in bookmakers has been given the all clear, it was announced yesterday.

The legality of 49's had been questioned by the National Lottery operator, Camelot, which wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions requesting clarification.

The company that operates the game, 49's Limited, said the Crown Prosecution Service told it on Monday that the game was lawful and was not open to challenge as an illegal lottery.

The CPS, according to 49's Limited, said that the game, which offers fixed odds on bets on choosing five balls selected randomly from 49, did not have the characteristics of a lottery in law.