By Phillip Gerrish, Marketing Services Manager | April 2025 |
In an increasingly competitive fundraising landscape, charities are constantly seeking new ways to identify and nurture potential legacy donors. One group of supporters is often overlooked in this process: weekly lottery players.
While they may be seen primarily as prize-led givers, lottery players are in fact one of the strongest segments for legacy giving and many charities are only beginning to realise their full potential.
Here’s why lottery players are ideal legacy prospects.
1. They give regularly and reliably
Legacy giving is a deeply emotional and long-term decision. It often comes from individuals who have demonstrated sustained commitment over time.
Lottery players:
- Give weekly, by Direct Debit
- Support month after month, often for years
- Continue even when prizes are not won
This is not transactional behaviour. It’s habitual giving – and habit builds connection. A person who has been giving £1 or £2 a week for ten years has contributed hundreds of pounds and feels a quiet, consistent loyalty to your cause.
2. They’re often over 55 – your key legacy audience
Data across the sector shows that most lottery players are:
- Aged 55+
- Financially stable, home-owning
- Thinking about their future and their family
These are the same demographic markers associated with legacy giving. In fact, many already have wills or are considering writing one. The bridge from “I support you regularly” to “I’d like to leave something in my will” is shorter than you might think.
3. They’re cause-motivated, not just prize-motivated
One common myth is that lottery players are only in it to win. In reality, surveys consistently show that the majority play to support the charity, not to get rich.
Especially when the lottery is branded well, tells impact stories, and links back to the cause, players feel emotionally invested. That emotional investment is fertile ground for legacy messaging, particularly when paired with storytelling about future impact.
4. They already trust you with their money
Legacy giving requires a high level of trust. The donor is saying, in essence: “I trust you to do something meaningful with my money after I’m gone.”
Lottery players:
- Have already committed financial support
- Receive regular communication from your organisation
- Have likely interacted with your brand across multiple channels
This trust makes them significantly warmer than cold legacy leads from the general public or third-party campaigns.
5. They respond well to soft touch legacy messaging
Legacy marketing doesn’t always need to be heavy or formal. Lottery players are used to receiving:
- Stewardship communications and possibly weekly results emails
- Monthly newsletters or Superdraw announcements
- Lottery impact updates and thank-you messages
This communication approach creates regular engagement points where gentle legacy prompts can be introduced:
- “Thanks to players like you, we can plan for the future. Could you help us build a lasting legacy?”
- “Some of our lottery supporters choose to leave a gift in their will—helping the next generation.”
- “Your support has helped save lives. Could your legacy do the same?”
These are soft prompts that feel natural within the lottery player journey.
6. They can be invited into deeper relationships
Many lottery players are ideal for:
- Legacy events
- Facility tours or impact visits
- “Leave a Legacy” month campaigns
- One-to-one legacy conversations with fundraisers
Because you already know who they are, where they live, and how long they’ve supported you, lottery players can be easily segmented and engaged with more personalised legacy stewardship.
A strategic opportunity
The best-performing charities are no longer treating their lottery programme and legacy team as separate silos. They are integrating lottery into the legacy pipeline with data-led insights, soft messaging, and collaborative stewardship.
It’s a low-cost, high-potential strategy that rewards consistency and deepens loyalty.
Real-world results
Some Sterling Lotteries partners have already started embedding legacy prompts in their lottery journeys with compelling results:
- Increased legacy enquiries from lottery segments
- Higher-than-average open rates on legacy emails to lottery players
- Lottery members signing up to leave a gift in their will
The key is to treat the lottery as a relationship, not a product. When you do, long-term giving follows.
Take action: building a lottery-to-legacy pathway
Here are five simple steps you can take:
- Audit your current lottery base by age, length of giving, and engagement.
- Introduce soft legacy language in thank-you letters, emails, and impact communications.
- Invite lottery players to legacy-specific events or webinars.
- Profile long-term lottery supporters as part of your legacy lead list.
- Track and test legacy messages in your regular lottery communications.
Final thought
Your weekly lottery isn’t just a fundraising tool, it’s a loyalty engine. And loyalty, trust, and regular giving are the building blocks of legacy support.
Don’t wait for supporters to stumble across a legacy brochure. Start with the people who are already saying yes to you every single week.
Want help making this happen?
At Sterling Lotteries, we help charities think about how they can integrate legacy into lottery strategies.
Let’s unlock the legacy potential of your most loyal supporters.
enquiries@sterlinglotteries.co.uk
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About Sterling Lotteries
Sterling Lotteries partners with over 800 charities, providing leading prize-led expertise through responsible, innovative, and engaging weekly lotteries and raffles.
We power seamless player experiences, compliance peace of mind, and support charities running creative campaigns that bring prize-led fundraising to life.
www.sterlinglotteries.co.uk
enquiries@sterlinglotteries.co.uk