Euromillions lottery playing cost raised, consumers angered

Euromillions is to become more expensive for players, with lines now costing £2.50 (€3/$3.30) in the UK or up to €2.50 in Europe.

The lottery game, which is run by 10 operators across the continent, will offer bigger prizes while more millionaire winners are now guaranteed.

Players will still pick five main numbers from one to 50 and two lucky stars, now from one to 12 rather than 11.

The extra lucky star will reduce the chance of winning the jackpot from approximately one in 117 million currently to one in 140 million, but Camelot – one of 10 operators – said that the overall odds of winning any prize on Euromillions remained at 1 in 13.

Camelot said the changes would bring bigger jackpots more often with higher starting figures of £14 million and more than twice as many jackpots per year of over £50 million.

Local UK "enhancements" will include at least two guaranteed UK millionaires in every draw through the UK Millionaire Maker, doubling the current number of guaranteed UK millionaires per year.

Camelot consumer and retail director Sally Cowdry said: "Euromillions has always captured the UK public's imagination with its exhilarating jackpots and numerous multimillion-pound winners – boosting returns to good causes in the process.

“It's now time to re-energise the game and take it to the next level and these fantastic enhancements will do just that, helping us to deliver even more for our players and UK Good Causes in the years to come.”

Meanwhile, UK players turned to social media channels and responded negatively to the changes made to the EuroMillions game.