Direct returns to the National Lottery good causes reached a record £952.8m in the six months to 29 September, an increase of £34.5m on the corresponding period last year.

Camelot attributes the boost to increased sales across all platforms, including in-store sales, draw-based games and interactive and subscription sales from the National Lottery website. Overall sales were up 8 per cent to £3.52bn.

The operator advised it also reached its target of raising £750m for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, largely through the sale of Olympics-themed scratchcards and draws. This is part of an overall National Lottery contribution of almost £2.2bn towards the Games.

Camelot is in its third term as National Lottery operator and currently has a licence until 2023. Every week, Camelot generates over £30m for National Lottery good causes, the operator advises, saying that in the period up to March 2013 around 28 per cent of total Lottery revenue is to go towards good causes.

So far over £29bn has been delivered for good causes through 13 lottery distribution bodies, including the Big Lottery Fund (BIG). More than 390,000 National Lottery grants have been made so far.