The deal with Tesco will allow customers to buy National Lottery tickets at checkouts at the same time as they pay for their groceries.
The National Lottery operator aims to introduce the scheme later this financial year, subject to approval from the National Lottery Commission. Following a successful pilot, Camelot aims to strike similar deals with other supermarket chains.
The scheme forms part of Camelot's focus for the next financial year to provide the public with greater accessibility to purchase lottery tickets as it today reported that sales for the year ending March 31 grew to 拢4.61bn, up from 拢4.57bn last year. Weekly sales currently stand at 拢88m a week, and during the year 拢1.2bn was raised for good causes.
The turnaround comes a year ahead of Camelot's own predictions, with the company crediting the change to its strategy of growth and diversification. It has introduced 34 new scratchcards and added 600 new National Lottery terminals, as well as the new EuroMillions and Daily Play games.
Camelot has switched its advertising strategy over the past 12 months, following the disastrous reception of the "Live a Lotto" campaign fronted by Billy Connolly, which was replaced at the beginning of 2003 with a campaign emphasising the good work done by National Lottery funds.
In November last year Camelot announced it was reviewing the work out of WCRS after five years, and in January it appointed Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO to the account.
At the same time Camelot said that it was developing agreements with all the major UK mobile network operators to develop a secure service that will allow players to buy lottery tickets from their mobile phones.
It has already embraced new media by selling tickets for the Wednesday and Saturday draws on Sky Active, as well as offering a variety of games on the .
Diane Thompson, chief executive of Camelot, said: "If 2003/4 was the year for developing and diversifying our game portfolio, 2004/5 will be the year for extending accessibility of the National Lottery. By making our games available in more stores and via more channels, we are confident that we will drive sales growth this year and beyond."
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