The Fusilier Aid Society Lottery
The Regiment has our very own Fusilier Aid Society Lottery. Sterling Lotteries run it on our behalf to generate income for FAS – and give the Fusilier family the chance to win something !
Sterling have provided lottery and raffle services for over 30 years. They have over 250 clients, many recognisable charities, including the RAF Association and the Royal Marines Benevolent Fund. They are monitored by the Gambling Commission and the Lotteries Council. The Regiment has selected Sterling’s low-risk Unity Lottery to generate income for the Fusilier Aid Society (FAS). FAS holds a relevant gambling licence.
The FAS Unity Lottery
Unity works as an ‘umbrella’ lottery, i.e. all players’ tickets, regardless of their chosen charity, go into a single weekly draw. We have no overheads to pay and Sterling manages all the administration. A minimum of 50% of our total lottery tickets are spent on supporting the work carried out by FAS, 18.4% is spent on prizes and 31.6% spent on the running cost and administration of the lottery.
The features of the FAS Unity Lottery are:
- Each ticket costs £1 a week.
- 50p from every £1 ticket returns to FAS as profit. (The other 50p covers administration costs and the weekly prize fund).
- There is a weekly top prize of £25,000, with a range of smaller prizes.
- All players in the lottery have a 1 in 63 chance of winning a prize
- Should a Fusilier win the £25,000, Sterling will also donate £2,500 to FAS.
Anyone can play our FAS lottery:
- serving Fusiliers and veterans, their family and friends
- our affiliated CFAVs, their family and friends
- anyone who wants to have a fun way of donating to our Regimental charity
- and anyone who wants a chance to win a prize.
You can pay by cheque, credit card, debit card or Direct Debit – it’s up to you. And you can decide how much and for how long
Click on this link to go to the FAS Lottery page, where you can sign up to play.
Once you have signed up, you will be sent a welcome letter which confirms your FAS lottery number(s) and details of your payment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When does the weekly draw take place ?
The Unity Lottery draw takes place every Friday, and each ticket gives players the chance of winning one of four fantastic prizes. Each entry costs just £1.
Where does the money go, exactly?
For every £1 played, at least 50p goes straight to FAS. The other 50p is split between the prize pot and administration costs.
How can FAS offer £25,000 as a top prize?
When a player wins a prize, this is covered by the Unity prize pot. This means that charities using Unity for their fundraising lotteries can offer a £25,000 jackpot and smaller prizes to their players.
What are the odds of winning a prize?
The odds of winning any prize in Unity is 1 in 63. Everyone in Unity has an equal chance of winning, no matter which charity they support or how many players that charity has.
What can I win?
A Random Number Generator picks a winning number sequence, and a range of prizes is available for matching 3, 4, 5 or 6 digits. The Unity lottery prize structure is as follows:
- 3 digit match = 5 entries into the next draw
- 4 digit match = £25
- 5 digit match = £1,000
- 6 digit match = £25,000
Is the lottery legal?
Yes, it operates in compliance with all Gambling Commission (the UK regulatory body concerned with lotteries) requirements and the lottery is administered by a certified External Lottery Manager. For further information please see the rules page on www.unitylottery.co.uk.
How do I buy FAS lottery tickets?
You can buy lottery tickets through this FAS Unity page.
Set up a Direct Debit subscription, which is the easiest way to ensure you’re entered into the draw each week, or by cheque/credit card.
Alternatively, you can telephone Unity on 0370 050 9240 and request an entry form for the FAS lottery.
Can I choose my lottery numbers?
These are chosen randomly and will be your numbers for the duration of your membership of our lottery. When you enter the lottery, you will be sent your unique numbers.
Can I have more than one entry?
Yes. Each £1 entry buys you one chance of winning in the FAS lottery. In accordance with our commitment to responsible gambling, we offer a maximum of 20 entries each month per person. Examples are here:
£1 a week | £2 a week | £3 a week | £4 a week |
---|---|---|---|
1 chance to win | 2 chances to win | 3 chances to win | 4 chances to win |
50p goes straight to FAS each week | £1 goes straight to FAS each week | £1.50 goes straight to FAS each week | £2 goes straight to FAS each week |
How old do I have to be to enter?
You must be aged 16 or over to enter the lottery, so only older Cadets can pay and we strongly advise they first discuss playing the Lottery with their parent or guardian. But their parents can certainly play.
I’ve signed up to join the FAS Lottery. What happens now?
Within 10 days of registration you will receive a confirmation letter which contains details of your unique lottery number(s). You will be entered into the draw when you have monies available and you will continue to be entered into the draw as long as you have monies available against your lottery number.
Why is there a delay between registration and entry into the draw?
Following registration it is necessary to complete a number of administrative processes which include verifying your payment details with your bank, claiming the funds from your bank account and the funds being received.
Why is the price £4.34 per month when paying Direct Debit on a monthly basis?
The monthly cost breakdown of £4.34 for playing the lottery is based on paying £1 per week over a 52 week year. Direct debits for this amount are collected once monthly. Sometimes there will be five weeks in a month and the additional £0.34p is to build up credit to cover the fifth week on the five-week months.
Can I check the winning numbers?
Yes – the winning numbers will be available on the Unity website. www.unitylottery.co.uk/results
How do I claim my prize?
Once the draw has taken place the winning number is published on the Unity website. If you are a winner, we will send your winning cheque straight to you at your address – there’s no need for you to claim.
I don’t want any publicity
Only the winning numbers are published on the Unity website – no names or locations are given out. When you sign up to play, you have the option to request “No Publicity”
How long can I play for?
You can play our lottery for as long as you wish. Following successful payment you will continue to be entered into the draw as long as you have monies available against your lottery number.
How can I stop playing the lottery?
If you pay a fixed sum by credit or debit card or cheque, once those funds are used, no more will be taken unless you renew. If you pay by direct debit, you can simply stop it either through your bank or by contacting Unity direct (see below)
Can I change the amount I pay?
If you call the Unity Helpline (see below), you can add or remove lottery ticket numbers which will increase or decrease the amount you pay.
I only want to play once – can I do that?
You can buy 1 ticket for entry into 4 weekly draws. This is the minimum entry, but allows you to play just once.
There are many forces and other lotteries out there – why should I enter this one?
Playing the FAS Lottery means allproceeds go to our own Regimental charity, nowhere else. You are welcome to play other lotteries, but FAS will not receive any income from those.
Could I just give a donation to FAS – I don’t like gambling?
Yes of course – FAS welcomes any donations, large or small
Who do I contact if I have any further questions?
For specificquestions about the lottery or your lottery membership, your firstpoint of call is the Unity Lottery Helpline 0370 050 9240 (Mon – Fri 9am – 5pm). They can answer all your questions about the process, how to play and payment etc. details. You can alternatively fill in this contact form www.unitylottery.co.uk/contact
If you have general questions about how FAS uses our Lottery income, please email [email protected]
Please now consider playing the FAS Lottery to generate income for our main Regimental charity. Anyone can play – you, your friends, your family and their friends and family. And all of you will have a 1 in 63 chance of winning something !