Frequently Asked Questions
Table of Contents
What is a syndicate?

A syndicate is a group of players that decide to pool their chances of winning. The syndicate buys a number of tickets and divides the prizes among the members. This effectively increases the odds of winning but decreases the individual member's stake.

Playing as part of a syndicate significantly increases your chance of winning. In fact, it is the only legitimate way of increasing your odds of a jackpot prize.

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Yes. In fact, Camelot Group endorses syndicates and gives advice on setting up and running a syndicate via its website. It is important that your syndicate is managed properly, however. Syndicate Tool makes this easy, as the syndicate manager and all members get a complete overview of numbers, results and payments along with a solid syndicate agreement.

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What is Syndicate Tool?

Syndicate Tool is a software application that helps you manage a syndicate. The tool automatically collects payments from your members, processes tickets and distributes winnings. Syndicate Tool allows all syndicate members to see the numbers they are playing and their results.

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Why should I use Syndicate Tool?

Syndicate Tool allows you to create and join unlimited syndicates with unlimited members. You can play together with friends, family and colleagues easily. All of the syndicate members can check all tickets, results and payments for their syndicates.

The manager can collect money automatically for his or her syndicate. There is no more need to worry about spreadsheets, paper notes and ticket photocopies. All money transfers are also tracked in a sophisticated accounting package.

Finally, you have the guarantee of a solid syndicate agreement. There is no need to worry about disputes or tax issues. Members can come and go without worrying about losing out on winnings.

For more details, see a full list of features here.

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How much does Syndicate Tool cost?

We believe that it is every syndicate's right to have access to good management tools. Syndicate members should have access to see their tickets and results. Managers should not have to maintain complicated spreadsheets and photocopy tickets several times a week.

Syndicate Tool is 100% free to use for a syndicate of any size. We do not charge any fees or percentages on deposits, withdrawals, ticket costs or prizes to the syndicate. Syndicate Tool operates as a purchasing agent on the official retailer network and earns commission on gross ticket sales from the operator.

We have provided the service since 2003 and help to manage tens of thousands of syndicates across the UK including police and fire stations, university departments, financial services companies and several local council and government offices.

In the future, we may introduce new features for syndicates that want to pay for additional functions. However, for now our goal is simply to help syndicate managers with quick, easy-to-use software that saves time and makes life easier.

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All tickets on Syndicate Tool are processed through a direct integration with the official terminals licensed by Camelot Group under the standard Retailer Agreement. However, Syndicate Tool is not affiliated with Camelot Group. It is a software application developed independently to solve the problems encountered by syndicate managers and members.

To find out more, click here to see how Syndicate Tool compares.

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How can I contact the Syndicate Tool team?

We are a team of syndicate managers working to help others run their syndicates efficiently. We'd love to hear from you, especially if you have comments, suggestions or questions! Please visit our contact page to get in touch.

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How do I sign up for Syndicate Tool?

If you're trying to join an existing syndicate, ask your syndicate manager to send you an invitation from his Syndicate Tool account. You will then receive an e-mail with instructions to continue.

If you'd like to start a new syndicate, click here to get started.

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How do I login to my account?

To login to your Syndicate Tool account, click here to use the login form (you will need your e-mail and password details).

If you've forgotten your password, please use the password reset form to reset your login details.

If you do not have an account with Syndicate Tool, please see the question above on how to proceed.

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How can I change my account details, such as e-mail or password?

You can change your contact information on your account details page. Note that we currently do not allow you to change the name on your account, as this is tied to your identity.

To change your account password, use the password change page. You will need to remember your current password to set a new one.

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What e-mail notifications will you send me?

First of all, we'll send you an e-mail to welcome you to Syndicate Tool with some helpful tips and links to get started. After this, we will only e-mail you when something happens on your account (for example, if your syndicate has a winning entry).

You can see all the notifications you are receiving and disable any or all of them on your account details page.

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How do I turn off e-mail notifications?

To configure or disable e-mail notifications from Syndicate Tool, use the form on the account details page. Please note that we may still send you a message if a payment fails or if there's a problem with your syndicate.

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What do I need to start a syndicate?

To play in a syndicate, all you need are Syndicate Tool and friends, colleagues or family members who share your determination to win the jackpot! Start by creating your syndicate on the website.

First, you will be asked to add the members you want to invite to join your new syndicate. Enter the e-mails of your members so they can set up their login details to check the tickets and results on the website.

Second, you need to choose the tickets that your syndicate will play, for example EuroMillions. You can enter specific numbers or choose to pick a random selection. Remember, these are the tickets that your whole syndicate will play. Your members will share the cost and winnings of these tickets.

Finally, you will need to set up some method to pay for tickets you will buy. There are different ways to collect money from your syndicate members, you can read more about this on this help section.

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Do we need a syndicate agreement?

In the past, syndicates have had to rely on a contract for members to sign when they join or leave a syndicate, or the manager wants to change the tickets played. This is a serious inconvenience and, as a result, most managers forget or ignore the paperwork. Such agreements have never been properly tested in a legal situation either.

When you use Syndicate Tool to track your tickets, results and payments, the system automatically accounts for all costs and prizes for every ticket. This means that, regardless of when members join or leave the syndicate (or if they can't pay a certain week), the participants of a ticket will receive winnings proportionate to their contribution.

You do not need a contract to sign. Syndicate Tool becomes your agreement that keeps track of exactly who is owed what and why. The sophisticated accounting software does all the hard work for you behind the scenes.

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Why do we need a syndicate agreement?

You need a syndicate agreement in case there is a dispute over the winnings in your syndicate and to avoid paying taxes on your prizes. If you do not have an agreement in place, syndicate members are tax-liable and the burden of proof is on them to show they were an original participant in the ticket.

This is a serious problem that Syndicate Tool completely solves for you. The accounting solution keeps track of all syndicate members and ticket participants.

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How do I add members to my syndicate?

Syndicate managers can add members to their syndicate on the Invitations section of the syndicate page. You will need to enter the e-mails of the members to send the invitation to.

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How do I collect money from my members?

Syndicate managers can mark money that has been received from their members by going to the balances section of their syndicate. The page also shows members that have low balances, to tell the manager when it is necessary to collect money.

You can collect funds whenever and in whatever amounts from your members. When the payment is entered into Syndicate Tool, it is logged in the accounting system and transferred to the member account. The member also receives a confirmation that you marked these funds as collected.

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Can I be a member of more than one syndicate?

Yes, you can join as many syndicates as you like. You can also set up and manage as many syndicates as you can handle. Find friends, colleagues and family members to play with and the sky's the limit!

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How many members can join a syndicate?

There is no limit to the number of members you can have in your syndicate. Syndicate Tool makes it easy to manage syndicates with hundreds of members even!

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Can I leave one syndicate and continue to play in another?

Yes, you can leave any syndicate when you like, this does not affect your participation in any other syndicate.

With Syndicate Tool, you don't have to worry about getting your rightfully deserved winnings from syndicates you've left either. If a ticket wins that you paid money for, you will receive the prize whether you are still in the syndicate or not.

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How do I change the tickets my syndicate is playing?

As a syndicate manager, you can change the tickets by going to the ticket setup section on your syndicate page.

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Do I have to book or arrange to buy tickets every week?

Not anymore! Syndicate Tool allows you to set up the tickets your syndicate will play on a recurring basis with no maximum time periods.

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How do syndicate members pay for tickets?

Syndicate Tool works by splitting the cost of tickets between the members of the syndicate. Syndicate members can pay for their share directly through Syndicate Tool or through their syndicate manager.

Paying directly is by far the easiest method, as you have the option to credit your account automatically when it falls below a certain limit. To do this, just add the payment method to your account and select to enable the auto top-up function. If you don't enable this, you will need to use the deposit function to add funds regularly.

Syndicate members that prefer to let their manager collect funds have the option to let their manager collect the funds as necessary (once a week is a good idea). The manager then marks the payment as collected on the syndicate page on their account. This is time-consuming for everyone involved and clearly does not scale to big syndicates.

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How does Syndicate Tool process tickets?

All tickets on Syndicate Tool are purchased through a direct integration with the official terminals licensed by Camelot Group under the standard Retailer Agreement. Every ticket is logged with the time and date the sale was made, the ticket identification number and all other security and verification details.

To find out more, click here to see how Syndicate Tool compares.

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How can I be sure that the tickets are bought?

Syndicate Tool purchases the tickets your syndicate has selected on the syndicate manager's behalf. A copy of every ticket purchased is stored on the syndicate account, and all members can view these directly using their own login details. These tickets are stored securely in your syndicate database.

Every ticket is also logged with the time and date the sale was made, the ticket identification number and all other security and verification details. This is available for all participating members to see.

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What if I want to play more or different tickets as a syndicate member?

Your syndicate manager is responsible for the configuration of the tickets that the syndicate plays. You need to request the change from him or her directly.

If you want to play more tickets in general, why not start and manage a new syndicate with other colleagues, friends or family members?

Syndicate Tool does not currently allow any particular member of a syndicate to purchase an extra ticket and stake a bigger portion of a prize. This doesn't serve a purpose in a syndicate. You are better off just buying a ticket directly for yourself.

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How can I see all the tickets I have played?

You can always see all the tickets you have played, future and past, on the tickets page of your account.

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How can I see all the tickets my syndicate has played?

You can see all the tickets a particular syndicate has played by going to the tickets section of the syndicate page.

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What happens if my syndicate wins?

When your syndicate wins any kind of prize, the winnings are divided proportionately among the members that paid for the ticket. As a syndicate member, your share of the prize is transferred to your account immediately.

Syndicate Tool will also notify you by e-mail when you win a prize. If the prize is large, we may also contact you by telephone to announce the win. It is not possible to lose a ticket or forget to claim a prize.

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How are ticket prizes distributed to syndicate members?

Prizes are divided and distributed based on each syndicate member's payment of the ticket cost.

For example, if you buy a £1.00 ticket with 9 other syndicate members, you will each pay one tenth (£0.10) towards the play. If the ticket wins a £1,000 prize, you will receive the same fraction of the winnings - one tenth of the prize means that you will get £100.

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How do you send my winnings to me?

Your winnings are instantly transferred to your Syndicate Tool account. Withdrawing your funds to your bank account is quick and easy. We issue withdrawals by bank transfer, cheque or refund to your debit/credit card (depending on your preference and the amount of the transfer).

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How do I deposit money into my account?

To deposit funds using a credit/debit card or other payment method, you must first add it to your account. We also recommend that you enable auto top-up, so your balance is automatically topped up when it falls below a certain limit. You can also make manual deposits using the account page in an amount of your choice.

If you are a syndicate member and prefer letting your manager collect funds, he or she needs to mark the payment as collected on the syndicate page on their account. You will then receive an e-mail notification that the money was transferred.

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What do I do if my card payment was declined?

We will send you an e-mail notification if we fail to take payment from your card. If your card payment is declined, it may mean that your card has expired or you do not have enough funds in your bank account.

To make sure you can still play in your syndicate, you can add another payment method to your account.

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Where do I check my account balance and history?

All payment activity on your account is itemised on the transactions page of your account. You can always view every future and past transaction on there.

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How can I withdraw my account balance?

If your account balance is very low, we recommend that you leave the funds in your account. The funds can then be used to pay for future tickets you may want to participate in.

To withdraw a larger amount, please contact us and we will organize the payment. Depending on the size of the transfer, we may pay by cheque, bank transfer or a simple credit to your debit/credit card.

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Will my information be made public or available to everyone?

If you are a member of a syndicate, your manager and the other members are able to see your full name. Your other details are not shown to anyone on the website.

If you win a prize, we will not publicise any of your details without your written consent, save for the purposes of what is required by law. For more information, please see our terms and conditions

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How do I close my account?

To close your account, please contact us directly and provide your account details.

Remember, it is much easier to simply pause/leave your syndicates and withdraw your funds. We hope that you may change your mind and consider Syndicate Tool in the future.

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