Media Release

RMH Home Lottery offers big prizes 

13 September 2005
 
Victoria's biggest charitable lottery, with prizes worth more than $4.5 million up for grabs, was launched today to raise funds for The Royal Melbourne Hospital.

The lottery, to be run by the hospital's fundraising arm, The Royal Melbourne Hospital Foundation, was launched on the steps of a luxury furnished home in Hawthorn East worth more than $1.7 million. The home, built by Ron Englehart Homes, is the main prize in the lottery.

Second prize in The Royal Melbourne Hospital Home Lottery is a fully furnished Docklands apartment, including a Smart Car and two Medallion Club seats at Telstra Dome.

A dozen luxury cars - including a Porsche 911 Carrera, a BMWand a Mercedes-Benz - are among the 4,255 prizes worth more than $4.5 million that will be given away in the lottery that gives each ticket-holder a one in 20 chance of winning a prize.

The $217,000 Porsche 911 Carrera is an Early Bird Prize, being offered as an incentive to buy tickets before 10 November.

Other prizes include 20 worldwide holidays to destinations such as London, Paris, Rome, China and Vietnam; outdoor furniture, barbeques, mountain bikes, computers, as well as television and stereo systems.

Tickets costing $100 each go on sale tomorrow. Ticket sales close on 1 December.

The Early Bird draw takes place on 18 November. If all tickets in the lottery are sold by 10 November then the draw for all prizes will also start on 18 November. Otherwise, the draw for all the other prizes will take place from 7 December.

David Jones, executive director of the Foundation, said anticipated proceeds of $2.2 million from the sale of the 85,000 tickets available will be used to support healthcare facilities, including the purchase of medical equipment, as well as research and education activities at the hospital.

'The community has always been supportive of The Royal Melbourne Hospital and we know they are going to be very excited about our all new Home Lottery,' he said.

'This lottery is the biggest and most innovative charitable lottery in Victoria and we are extremely proud to present what is, in our opinion, the most appealing prize package this state has ever seen.'

From tomorrow full colour lottery brochures containing all the details of the lottery and how to buy tickets, will be delivered to every household in Victoria.

Full lottery information can also be found at www.rmhHomeLottery.com.au or by phoning 1300 780 312.

Today's launch of the lottery is the culmination of two years' planning and securing regulatory approval.

Media contacts: Trudy Habner (03) 9342 7086 (mobile 0409 404 293) or
Rod Jackson-Smith (03) 9342 7469 (mobile 0417 156 214)