The Branson touch

If Sir Richard Branson snatches the UK lottery licence from current incumbent Camelot, will it be a victory for Branson the businessman or Branson the showman?

Sir Richard Branson could not attend the National Lottery Commission meeting which put his licence bid ahead of that of current operator Camelot.

Other pressing business? Stuck in traffic?

Branson's launch was on the ball

Nothing so mundane for Sir Richard. He was confined to his private Caribbean island, Necker, sitting out Hurricane Debby.

Sir Richard's "People's Lottery" put the wind up the lottery licence process from the start.

When he first put himself forward to run the National Lottery in 1994, Sir Richard paraded through the streets with equine superstar Desert Orchid.

Rough ride

Though then he fell at the final hurdle, Sir Richard got back in the saddle when Camelot's licence came up for grabs.

With Camelot portraying itself as the experienced "safe hands", Sir Richard slipped into the familiar role of popular showman.

How the bids stack up

People's Lottery

£15bn for good causes

Revamped main game with six numbers from 53, and a new 'Millionaire's Game'

Harder to scoop big jackpots; easier to win £1m

More rollovers

Non-profit

Camelot

£15bn for good causes

Main game unchanged: six numbers from 49

Pledge to cut 1% profit take

With Desert Orchid out to pasture, the Virgin boss delivered his proposal to the commission flanked by huge inflatable lottery balls, a sodden jazz band, and actors dressed as nurses, firemen and barristers - Sir Richard's notion of "the people".

This razzmatazz was presumably intended to back up Sir Richard's boast that he could inject some fun into the flagging institution.

After all, if the daredevil businessman could make handing in a fistful of documents look enjoyable, what could he do for the UK's multi-million pound weekly flutter?

Winning idea

Sir Richard has added further drama to the licence bid by saying that he would not throw his hat in the ring a third time - should he lose.

A declaration indeed from the man who claims to have come up with the whole lottery idea in 1988 - over tea with Mrs Thatcher.

Lottery bid wasn't hot air

Barbara Bloomfield, the editor of Lottery Monitor magazine, says the commission's decision had nothing to do with how good a show Sir Richard put on.

"It had nothing to do with showmanship. The guiding principal was how much would go to causes," she says.

"Richard Branson's bid was more generous to causes than Camelot - he would have won it were it not for the problems with the committal fund [a guaranteed pool to ensure winners are paid]."

Millionaire of the people

The People's Lottery has promised to lavish good causes with £15bn over seven years, and not turn a penny of profit.

Are the people behind Sir Richard

Sir Richard was at pains to brand his bid as one for the general good of the UK, not for the good of his consortium's bank account.

He said players wanted to feel "proud" of buying a ticket and were tired of entering "out of greed, not to benefit the country".

The Daily Express says the tycoon is also looking to buff up his own image as a public-spirited businessman, following the recent hitches of his rail company.

Sir Richard puts his national popularity down to his business ethics: "The companies we've set up have benefited people rather than dis-benefited people. We can talk about trains separately in a minute, ha ha ha."

Running a non-profit "people's" lottery - with its egalitarian, post-Diana overtones - would certainly see Sir Richard go down in history as a millionaire man of the people rather than as a suited fat cat.