The Daily Play starting from 22 September, is the latest proposal by Camelot to boost sales and respond to the government's wishes to make the Lottery more appealing to consumers.

Camelot is aware it could lose its monopoly, following an announcement by Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell in July that there would be a major shake-up of how the lottery is run and how the money for good causes is distributed.

Different companies would be given the chance to run lottery games, and the public would have more say over which good causes receive National Lottery money, under proposals designed to halt years of declining sales.

There are also plans for a new Young People's Fund, channelling �200m into projects to help the disadvantaged, and a simpler process for organisations applying for funds.

And an Olympic Fund could see new lottery games launched to provide funding dedicated to staging "a spectacular and successful Olympic Games".

Critics of the Camelot say there needs to be more games to engage the public and make punters believe the draws are winnable and fun.

The Daily Play will offer players a one-in-eight chance of winning a cash prize, against odds of one in almost 14 million of hitting the National Lottery jackpot.

The new draw, every day except Sunday, will give people the chance to pick seven numbers from 27 or opt for a "Lucky Dip".

The most important proposals in the (White) Paper are those to give the lottery back to the people and thus widen popular support for the lottery Tessa Jowell, Culture Secretary Proposals at-a-glance

Those who fail to match any number at all to the winning combination will be entitled to a free "Lucky Dip" ticket. Camelot says players can claim free tickets until they match one number or more.

Prizes range from �5 for matching four numbers, up to �30,000 for all seven.

The draw is a chance for punters to have greater chances to win smaller prizes, more often, said Dianne Thompson, chief executive of Camelot.

Huge sums

The changes proposed by the government of the Lottery would mean "the biggest overhaul of the lottery since its inception", according to Ms Jowell.

She said lottery grants would better reflect the preferences of the public who contribute to funds by playing the lottery.

"The most important proposals in the (White) Paper are those to give the lottery back to the people and thus widen popular support for the lottery," Ms Jowell said.

Ms Jowell said there would be a move away from a single licensing round every seven years, to a system where there would be a range of licences.

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Current operator Camelot will still be able to bid for part of the new licence when its current licences expire in 2009.

There will also be a new National Lottery Day - an annual event with special prizes for players - and a day when lottery projects will open their doors to the public.

�14bn has been raised for good causes since the Lottery began

'New games'

Jane Taylor, editor of Lottery Monitor, said "experimental efforts", such as possibly using a television game show technique, could be used to take a public vote on what cause should gain funding locally.

Simon Burridge, chief executive of Sir Richard Branson's People's Lottery, said that the problems besetting the National Lottery could not be dismissed as "a natural state of decline".

In another change, two of the bodies who decide which good causes should benefit will merge, creating a new distributor handing out half of all lottery money.

Luke Fitzherbert, from the Directory of Social Change, warned that the merger of the Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund would mean increasing centralisation of charity funding.

But he welcomed increasing local involvement in small grants, covering amounts up to a few thousand pounds.