MAKE YOUR FREE Lottery Syndicate Agreement
What we'll cover
What is a Lottery Syndicate Agreement?
A Lottery Syndicate Agreement is a legally binding contract between a group of people who play the lottery as a team (ie a ‘syndicate’). Lottery Syndicate Agreements outline how syndicates will operate (eg how lottery tickets will be purchased and how winnings will be distributed).
When should I use a Lottery Syndicate Agreement?
Use this Lottery Syndicate Agreement:
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if you and a group of other people want to play the lottery together
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to enter into weekly lottery draws with one lottery only
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to improve your chances of winning
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to ensure your winnings are tax-free
Sample Lottery Syndicate Agreement
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LOTTERY SYNDICATE AGREEMENT
About the Syndicate
Syndicate | This Syndicate, named |
Syndicate Manager |
|
Start Date |
About the Syndicate Members
The below are each a Syndicate Member and together the Syndicate Members:
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- Date of birth:
- Address: , ,
- Email:
- Telephone number:
Syndicate Arrangements
- The Syndicate will start on .
- The Syndicate Members agree to pay £ per entry into each lottery draw.
- The Syndicate Members will enter into draw per week.
- Payment will be made at the start of each month and will be calculated based on the number of draws in that calendar month. For example, if each draw costs £2.50, this will cost the Syndicate £10 for 4 draws or £20 for 8 draws in a month.
- In the event that money is left over from the Syndicate’s funds after all lottery tickets for a given week are bought and this money is insufficient to purchase a full lottery ticket, the money will be carried over to the next draw.
- If a Syndicate Member fails to make their monthly contribution before the tickets are bought,.
- , which will be played each week.
- The Syndicate Manager will buy all tickets in advance of each draw.
- The Syndicate Manager will check all tickets and draw results after each draw. will also independently check all tickets and draw results after each draw.
- Syndicate Members should participate for a minimum period of month, starting on the Start Date.
- All winnings will be divided between all Syndicate Members and will be paid.
- The Syndicate Manager acknowledges that they have a legal obligation to transfer all winnings resulting from tickets purchased under this Syndicate Agreement directly to Syndicate Members in accordance with the above clause.
- If a Syndicate Member leaves the Syndicate early (e.g. because of a change in their circumstances):
- They will receive a share of all winnings which have accumulated, and to which they are entitled, at the time of their departure.
- They will receive a refund of any contributions they made in advance for lottery draws which have not yet happened.
The departing Syndicate Member understand and acknowledges that they will not be entitled to or have a claim to a proportion of any winnings accrued after their departure from the Syndicate.
- If a majority of Syndicate Members agree, additional tickets can be purchased for any specific draws on a case-by-case basis.
- All Syndicate Members may, at any time, request information on the Syndicate’s funds and their contributions and winnings balance.
- Before publicly announcing any winnings exceeding £ (a Significant Win), all Syndicate Members must agree to this in writing. Moreover, Syndicate Members must not disclose details of a Significant Win if such a disclosure could reveal the identity of any Syndicate Member, their family member(s) or their employer(s).
- The Syndicate will automatically be brought to an end if the number of Syndicate Members falls below . In this situation, all winnings and any remaining Syndicate funds will be divided equally between the Syndicate Members.
| _________________________________ | _________________________________ |
| Witness signature | |
| Name of witness | |
| Date of signature | |
| Address | |
| Occupation |
About Lottery Syndicate Agreements
Learn more about making your Lottery Syndicate Agreement
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How to make a Lottery Syndicate Agreement
Making a Lottery Syndicate Agreement online is simple. Just answer a few questions and Rocket Lawyer will build your document for you. When you have all of the details prepared in advance, making your document is a quick and easy process.
To make your Lottery Syndicate Agreement you will need the following information:
Syndicate details
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What is the name of the syndicate?
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What is the name of the syndicate manager?
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Do you want to appoint an assistant syndicate manager?
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If so, what is their name?
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When will the syndicate start?
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Do you want to set a syndicate end date?
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If so, what is the end date?
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What are the details of the syndicate members?
Entries and winnings
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How many draws will the syndicate enter per week?
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Which lottery will the syndicate enter?
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How much will each syndicate member contribute per draw?
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How will the lottery numbers be picked?
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Will lottery tickets be bought online or via an authorised retailer?
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What happens if a syndicate member does not make their monthly contribution?
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What is the minimum number of months that syndicate members must participate in the syndicate for?
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Will winnings be paid out at the end of the month or as soon as practicable?
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Syndicate members cannot without permission publicly announce winnings above what value?
Ending the syndicate
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The syndicate will end if the number of syndicate members falls below what number?
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Common terms in a Lottery Syndicate Agreement
You can use a Lottery Syndicate Agreement to play the lottery as part of a syndicate, to maximise your chances of winning. To achieve this, this Lottery Syndicate Agreement covers:
About the syndicate
The Lottery Syndicate Agreement starts by setting out certain key terms used throughout the Agreement. For example, ‘Syndicate’, ‘Syndicate Manager’ and ‘Start Date’. For ease of identification, these terms are capitalised whenever they are used in the Lottery Syndicate Agreement.
About the syndicate members
This section lists the syndicate members and provides their dates of birth, their addresses, their email addresses and their telephone numbers. The dates of birth are included to provide evidence that all syndicate members are over the age of 18. The contact details are included so that there is a record of how to reach each syndicate member.
This section also clarifies that the syndicate members listed are all syndicate members under the Lottery Syndicate Agreement. As in the previous section, the term ‘Syndicate Members’ is capitalised throughout the document for ease of identification.
Syndicate arrangements
This section sets out the actual terms of the Agreement that the syndicate members agree to. These terms include, but are not limited to:
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how much each syndicate member will contribute per prize draw
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how many draws the syndicate will enter per week and with which lottery
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what happens if a syndicate member leaves early
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when additional tickets can be bought
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when a syndicate member can go public in the event of a big prize winning
Signatures
The Lottery Syndicate Agreement must be signed by all syndicate members. As a result, this Agreement ends with signature blocks for each syndicate member. Because Lottery Syndicate Agreements should also be signed by an independent witness, this document also includes a witness signature block with space for the witness to sign, date and add their name, address and occupation.
If you want your Lottery Syndicate Agreement to include further or more detailed provisions, you can edit your document. However, if you do this, you may want a lawyer to review or change the Agreement for you to ensure it complies with all relevant laws and meets your specific needs. Ask a lawyer for assistance.
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Legal tips for making a Lottery Syndicate Agreement
Choose a name for your syndicate
You should give your syndicate a name. Generally, lottery syndicate names reflect the people participating in the syndicate and their interests. When choosing your syndicate name, consider:
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the interests or professions of the members
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using humour, wordplay or puns to make the name memorable
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keeping the name simple and easy to remember
You may want to make a list of potential names and get all (prospective) syndicate members to vote on which they like best.
Make sure you don’t ‘promote a lottery'
Generally, you do not need a licence to operate a syndicate. However, you must ensure to run your syndicate in a certain way to avoid ‘promoting a lottery’ under the Gambling Act 2005. If you fall within the scope of the Gambling Act, you will typically require a licence from the Gambling Commission or must otherwise comply with the Commission’s regulations.
Your syndicate will not fall within the scope of the Gambling Act if you (as the syndicate manager) buy lottery tickets using the money of multiple people (ie the syndicate members). This is because, in the eyes of the lottery operator, you (as the party buying the tickets) are the only ticket holder and are the only person to whom any winnings will be paid out. As a result, you are not typically considered to be ‘promoting’ a lottery. In other words, the syndicate members cannot directly claim the winnings from the lottery operator. They do, however, have a contractual relationship with you (ie under a Lottery Syndicate Agreement).
For more information on other types of prize draws, read Prize competitions and free draws.
Decide on how you want to choose the numbers to play
The Lottery Syndicate Agreement will set out how the syndicate will choose what lines of numbers to play. Choosing what numbers to play in the lottery is a matter of preference, as the numbers are drawn at random and each number has an equal chance of being drawn.
When making your Lottery Syndicate Agreement, you can either let each syndicate member choose a line of numbers or randomly choose lines of numbers using the lottery’s number generator (eg the National Lottery's Lucky Dip facility).
Remember to keep all syndicate members informed about the process
As the syndicate manager has ultimate responsibility for managing the syndicate, it is important that they keep all syndicate members informed about the different stages of the lottery process. This helps ensure transparency within the syndicate.
If tickets are bought online, the purchased tickets will be viewable in the syndicate manager’s account. To prove that the agreed number of tickets has been bought, it is a good idea to take screenshots of the tickets and share them with the syndicate. If tickets are bought in a store, it is a good idea to take a photo or make a photocopy of the tickets to share with the syndicate. The actual tickets should be stored in a secure place.
The syndicate manager should check all tickets and draw results after each draw. This should then be verified by the assistant syndicate manager (where one exists) or another syndicate member. The results should then be shared with all syndicate members.
If the syndicate wins a prize, the syndicate manager should claim it and divide it amongst the syndicate members in accordance with the Agreement. For more information, see the FAQ ‘How will prizes won by the syndicate be divided?’.
Understand when you can go public in the event of a significant win
If a syndicate wins a significant prize they can only go public (eg speak to a newspaper about it) if all syndicate members agree to go public in writing. When winnings will be considered ‘significant’ should be set out in your Lottery Syndicate Agreement.
Syndicate members also have to make sure not to go public with details of a significant win if this could reveal the identity of any syndicate member, their family member(s), or their employer(s).
Understand when to seek advice from a lawyer
Ask a lawyer if:
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this document doesn’t cover your specific needs
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you don’t want to enter into weekly draws
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the syndicate will enter multiple lotteries at the same time
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different syndicate members will make different contributions and will, therefore, receive different shares of winnings
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you have any questions or concerns about forming a lottery syndicate
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Lottery Syndicate Agreement FAQs
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What is included in a Lottery Syndicate Agreement?
This Lottery Syndicate Agreement template covers:
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the name of the syndicate
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the name of the syndicate manager and, if applicable, the name of the assistant syndicate manager
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the names, dates of birth and contact details of the syndicate members
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how much the syndicate members will each contribute per lottery draw
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which lottery the syndicate will play and how often
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how lines of numbers will be drawn
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what happens if a syndicate member doesn’t make their contribution on time
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when the syndicate can go public in the event of a significant win
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when the syndicate will end
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Why do I need a Lottery Syndicate Agreement?
While it is not necessary to have a Lottery Syndicate Agreement in place when playing a lottery with others, it is a good idea. By entering into a Lottery Syndicate Agreement, you communicate the terms of the Agreement (ensuring everyone understands the syndicate arrangements) and help avoid potential future conflicts (especially in the event of a win). Having a Lottery Syndicate Agreement in place ensures that your syndicate runs smoothly and gives all syndicate members peace of mind.
Lottery Syndicate Agreements also help you ensure that your syndicate’s lottery winnings are tax-free. HMRC does not consider lottery winnings as income and, as a result, lottery winnings are typically free from income tax. However, if lottery winnings are transferred by a winner (eg a syndicate manager) to other people (eg syndicate members), such transfers may be considered gifts which may, in certain situations, attract inheritance tax (IHT). To avoid any potential IHT, it is important that syndicates enter into clear Lottery Syndicate Agreements, as these can prove that winnings were distributed under an Agreement made before a lottery win. In other words, a Lottery Syndicate Agreement provides proof that a syndicate is playing the lottery together and that any transferred winnings are not gifts but distributions according to the syndicate members’ contributions.
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What is a syndicate?
A syndicate is a group of people that plays the lottery together. Syndicate members pool their money together to increase their chances of winning. All winnings that the syndicate makes are then distributed amongst the group.
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Who can take part in a lottery syndicate?
In April 2021, the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 was amended to raise the age at which people can play the lottery from 16 to 18. For syndicates, this means that all syndicate members must be over the age of 18.
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What is a syndicate manager?
A syndicate manager is the person who is responsible for running the syndicate. They are typically the person who starts the syndicate and invites others to join. Syndicate managers have a variety of responsibilities, including ensuring:
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contributions are made on time
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lottery tickets are bought on time
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syndicate members are kept informed of the syndicate’s activities and lottery results
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any prizes that the syndicate wins are claimed
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all winnings are divided equally amongst the syndicate members
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that the syndicate operates in a fair and transparent manner
As the syndicate manager is responsible for managing other people's money and ensuring that the syndicate operates smoothly, they should be a reliable, trustworthy and organised person.
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What is an assistant syndicate manager?
An assistant syndicate manager is a person who assists the syndicate manager in organising and administering the lottery syndicate. Their responsibilities may include helping the syndicate manager:
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collect money from syndicate members
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purchase tickets on behalf of the syndicate
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check the lottery numbers
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claim any prizes that the syndicate wins
Having an assistant syndicate manager can help to ensure that the syndicate operates smoothly and efficiently. It can also provide an extra level of oversight and accountability. Additionally, an assistant syndicate manager can provide a clear point of contact for any questions or concerns that syndicate members may have about the syndicate.
Larger syndicates may particularly benefit from having an assistant syndicate manager, as they typically involve more administrative tasks.
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How many members can a syndicate have?
There is no maximum number of members a syndicate can have. More syndicate members mean higher chances of winning prize draws. However, it also means that any prizes will need to be divided amongst more people and, as a result, the winnings of individual syndicate members will be smaller. Syndicates with more members may also be harder to manage.
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How much should syndicate members contribute?
This will be down to the syndicate members to decide. How much the syndicate members should each contribute will depend on:
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how many syndicate members there are
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how many draws the syndicate will enter per month
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how much each entry costs
This Lottery Syndicate Agreement sets out how many draws the syndicate will enter into per week and how much each syndicate member will contribute per draw. The total monthly contributions made by each member will be worked out at the start of each month, based on the number of draws in that month.
For example, if each prize draw ticket costs £2.50, it will cost £10 for 4 draws or £20 for 8 draws in a month. The total cost of the tickets should be divided between the syndicate members to work out how much each member should contribute. For example, if 4 syndicate members are entering into a total of 8 draws for £20, each syndicate member should contribute £5.
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What happens if a syndicate member doesn’t pay their contribution on time?
This Lottery Syndicate Agreement allows you to specify what happens if a syndicate member fails to make their contribution on time. Either:
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the remaining syndicate members will cover the non-paying member’s contribution on the understanding that they will be reimbursed as soon as possible. Here, the non-paying member will be entitled to a share in any winnings made that month. Or
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the non-paying member forfeits any winnings for that month. Any winnings will instead be divided between the syndicate members that made their contributions on time
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How can I buy lottery tickets for the syndicate?
How lottery tickets should be bought is for the syndicate manager to decide, based on what works best for them. Lottery tickets can either be bought online (using the syndicate manager’s account) or in an authorised shop.
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How will prizes won by the syndicate be divided?
All prizes won by the syndicate will be paid to the syndicate manager who, depending on the size of the prize, may have to claim the prize. It is then their responsibility to distribute the winnings to the syndicate.
Under this Lottery Syndicate Agreement, all winnings must be distributed equally amongst eligible syndicate members.
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What happens if a syndicate member leaves early?
Syndicate members can leave the syndicate early (ie before the end of the minimum period for which you would like them to participate or the syndicate end date has occurred). If they do so, they are entitled to receive:
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a share of all winnings that have accumulated, and to which they are entitled, at the time of their departure
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a refund of any contributions they made in advance for lottery draws that have not yet happened
The departing syndicate member will not be entitled to or have a claim to a proportion of any winnings obtained after their departure from the syndicate.
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Do we need to state that we are a syndicate?
If the syndicate is playing the lottery online, the syndicate manager has to state that they are a syndicate manager on their lottery account. This is not the case for tickets bought in person.
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Does a Lottery Syndicate Agreement need to be witnessed?
It is not necessary for a Lottery Syndicate Agreement to be witnessed. However, it is a good idea for a Lottery Syndicate Agreement to be signed and dated by an independent witness. Including a witness’ signature helps authenticate the syndicate members’ signatures and the Agreement itself. This provides clarity and proof of intentions in the case of any future disputes (eg proving that transfers of winnings are not gifts for IHT purposes).
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When will the Lottery Syndicate Agreement end?
Typically, unless an end date is specified, Lottery Syndicate Agreements only end when the number of syndicate members falls below a certain threshold (eg 3 members). You can set out this threshold in this document.
Your Lottery Syndicate Agreement can also specify an end date for the Agreement. If such an end date is included, the syndicate will stop existing on that date unless the number of syndicate members falls below the specified threshold before then.
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