LOTTERY fever looks set to hit the island’s streets today with hundreds expected to grab a 5,000-to-one chance of becoming an overnight millionaire.

As we broke in our page-one story yesterday, the draw will see a top payout of £1m., followed by prizes of £50,000, £25,000, £15,000 and £10,000.

The lottery idea – expected to be a sell-out – is a fund-raiser for Les Bourgs Hospice. And despite the tempting odds of holding a winning ticket from the 5,000 printed, at £300 each they are most likely to attract many local syndicates.

Doors at ‘Ticket HQ’ in the old Post Office at Smith Street open today and organisers, the Friends of Les Bourgs, are expecting a busy trade for the February draw.

Amidst the doom and gloom of the credit crunch, for those with some spare cash to take part, the new Million Pound Lottery will be a welcome diversion. Last year many islanders could only look on enviously at Jersey’s version of the sell-out draw.

As a very different product from the traditional £1-a-ticket Channel Islands’ Christmas lottery – drawn in December – it’s hoped there will be no impact on its popularity or the cash it raises for local good causes.

But with predictions of less money to go around this year, who knows?

There may also be some concern from anti-gambling campaigners and debt experts who fear the new draw may encourage an increasing number of desperate people to take a chance and overstretch their budget.

What is clear, judging by feedback so far, is that it’s already provided a bit of unexpected excitement which lots of islanders seem to have welcomed. In fact, many are already carving up what they would do with a lottery win.

All of which raises the question again of whether bringing the National Lottery to Guernsey could work.

Although the idea has been mooted in the past, so far talks on the expense and logistics of setting up terminals here, as well as the possible benefits for Guernsey charities, have not progressed very far down the line.

Which makes you wonder – on 14 February when hundreds of islanders will be watching Friends of Les Bourgs chairman Jack Honeybill reveal the lucky winners, might Camelot be watching too?