BOLTON Wanderers are poised to launch an instant win local lottery ticket with a top prize of £25,000.

Commercial Manager Terry Holland has persuaded the club board to back his plan for a major fightback against serious competition from National Lottery scratchcards.

From the middle of August the Wanderers' new £1 ticket will offer a total prize fund of £125,000 on each lottery with a top prize of £25,000 and hundreds of other instant cash awards.

It is likely to be the biggest local football lottery in the country - putting the Wanderers at the top of this particular premier league.

The existing 50p tickets with a top prize of £3,000 will cease, but Lifeline and Goldline will continue.

Wanderers' fund-raising efforts have been a local success story for more than 20 years and numerous football, rugby and other sporting clubs have followed the club's lead.

But National Lottery competition means the Commercial Department is having to work increasingly harder to achieve good results.

"We are trying to keep the market we have and enhance it," Mr Holland said.

"Because our ticket is sold locally from town centre kiosks, local shops and pubs as well as through our own lottery agents it follows that our winners will be local," he said.

"The chances of knowing a winner or better still winning oneself will be very great indeed."

He added: "We have done market research and all indications are that it will be well-received."

Over the past five years the Bolton Wanderers commercial operation has handed out well over £2 million in prize money to local people.

Last year the £1.3 million turnover operation put £450,000 in to the club's coffers.

"The commercial team has worked long and hard to get this ticket right and I think they have succeeded," Mr Holland said.

"Just how big it becomes is up to the people of Bolton.

"It is an ambitious plan to go up against the national cards but with their support it will be a winner."

If enough people buy tickets it could evolve into a weekly lottery.

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