The UK's National Lottery watchdog, Oflot, is investigating a mistake which led to a televised scratchcard draw being partly repeated.

The wrong set of numbered balls was loaded into a machine which helps to automatically select one of the winning numbers in the draw and a number was selected before the mistake was noticed.

However, a repeat draw was not televised and people watching at home did not immediately realise a mistake had been made.

The Lottery organisers, Camelot, blamed the mistake on human error and promised to honour both sets of numbers. That could cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds in extra prize money.

The draw took place on the National Lottery Big Ticket programme on BBC 1 on Saturday. The show was being screened for the first time.

People win the chance to take part in the programme through buying a £2 TV Dreams scratchcard.

The scratchcards also interact with the programme through the TV Home Play draw. Some winning scratchcards have four numbers printed on them which players try to match with the four numbers drawn on the programme.

An Oflot spokesman said: "Oflot are concerned at what happened but believe that Camleot has acted properly to address this incident. Camelot has agreed to bear the cost of the error.

"Oflot has already contacted Camelot over the action necessary to ensure that this does not occur again, and we will also be making a thorough investigation of this incident."

Four machines

Camelot apologised for the mistake

A Camelot spokeswoman said: "We will honour both sets of numbers. It will mean that in effect, two sets of numbers were drawn instead of one."

The first set of numbers was 49 11 35 55 but was later amended to 49 11 31 55 after the third number was re-selected.

Viewers stood to win varying amounts if they had any of the balls in the right order.

A Camelot statement said four machines were used to select the four numbers.

"Due to an error when loading the balls for the third number in the TV home play game, the third number in the TV home play draw has been re-selected.

"The draw took place in the presence of our independent auditors, Price Waterhouse, and Oflot, and was recorded by the BBC."

Players with queries were urged to contact the National Lottery line on 0645 100 000 or their nearest retailer.

The main National Lottery ticket draw was not affected.

Criticism of the show

The new show had prompted strong criticism before its broadcast on Saturday. It is the first to link a scratchcard game to a television draw.

The Culture Secretary, Chris Smith, said he would scrutinise the show and some MPs and clergy had condemned it as a blatant advert for a commercial product.

The BBC said that it consulted both the government and Oflot throughout the programme's development.

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