The national lottery yesterday rebranded its main prize draw and launched a £72m advertising campaign to reverse a sharp decline in participation which has seen ticket sales fall by 10% since the peak of four years ago.
In an attempt to "differentiate" the overall organisation from the twice weekly game, the private operator, Camelot, said the draw would now be called Lotto - a name already used by state lotteries in Poland, Switzerland and Ireland.
This means there will soon be two different lottos to play in Northern Ireland.
Although Camelot claims six out of 10 adults play its games, its chief executive, Dianne Thompson, has admitted the lottery needed a revamp.
"The plans are the result of two years' work," she said. "The results reflect research and detailed strategic planning. We have taken our time, listened to our players and responded."
The aim of the relaunch is to boost ticket sales and conse quently the amount of money given to good causes.
The marketing blitz includes 10 television commercials featuring comedian Billy Connolly, a mailshot of easier-to-use playslips to 18 million homes, and one of the largest ever poster campaigns. New equipment for selling tickets in shops is to be installed.
A new slogan, Don't Live A Little, Live A Lotto, will be introduced, ready for the first lotto draw on Saturday, May 18.
Punters will be given four chances to hit the jackpot under a new scheme: those who enter the lotto draw will have their numbers automatically entered into three extra bonus draws, each offering a guaranteed £4m jackpot.
At the weekend, Ms Thompson said: "The lottery is nearly eight years old and has started to look tired. It has got a bit boring and that is why we are doing the relaunch."
The name "national lottery" will be retained but will become the "umbrella brand" for the whole operation.
A new game called Lotto Hotpicks will be rolled out in July. Players will pay £1 to enter and select either two, three or four balls.
If all of the player's numbers are drawn on the main lotto draw, the fixed prizes will be £40 for matching two numbers, £450 for three numbers and £7,000 for four numbers.
Ms Thompson said: "The introduction of lotto hotpicks responds to the demands of our players for bigger prizes for fewer numbers, whilst building on the success of the lotto draw."
The company said the £72m would be spent on marketing the lottery over the next financial year, with £28.2m of the money earmarked for the initial relaunch.
Since the first national lottery draw in 1994, 1,329 people have become millionaires. More than 10,000 people have won £100,000 or more. In excess of £11bn has been given to good causes.
Overall ticket sales for the national lottery peaked in 1997-98, when Camelot received more than £5.5bn in ticket sales.
By 2000-01, sales had slipped to just under £5bn.