Tag Archives: National Lottery

This morning.

The National Lottery has confirmed it will hold a must-win draw this Saturday, after more than seven months without a jackpot winner.

Via RTE News:

This Saturday, if there is still no winner of the jackpot, it will flow down to the winners in lower tiers. This will likely result in several winners.

National Lottery spokesperson Fran Whearty said that must-win draws will be held in the future to prevent such long rollovers from happening again, explaining that jackpots are “guaranteed to be won no more than five draws after the cap has been reached”.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland Mr Whearty urged players to play responsibly at the weekend because they are “as likely to win with one ticket, as with multiple”.

It’s not gambling.

It only feels like gambling.

Fight!I

Lotto ‘must-win’ draw on Saturday as jackpot unclaimed since June (RTE)

From top: Fine Gael’s Bernard Durkan: Ronan Collins presenting the National Lottery in the early 1990s

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ News

A Fine Gael TD has called on the operator of the National Lottery to make the draw more “winnable”.

Deputy Bernard Durkan said there should be an investigation after no winner of the top lotto jackpot in almost six months.

The twice weekly National Lottery draw has rolled over 46 times since it was last won on 6 June.

Mr Durkan said: “This didn’t happen in Ronan Collins’ day. The jackpot has been stuck on €19m since September. What’s going on?

“We need a full investigation and audit into the draw.”

He added: “I’m not saying anything odd has happened, but it’s the longest run in the history of the game so we need a bit of reassurance.”

Fine Gael TD calls for Lotto to be more ‘winnable’ (RTÉ)

RollingNews/RTÉ

…you can’t profit grotesquely from a stealth tax on the poor and foolish.

THE GOVERNMENT is considering offering the next operator of the National Lottery an extended licence of between 20 and 30 years and a significantly enhanced annual operator’s fee of up to €50 million to run the business.

Under the existing seven-year licence, An Post operates the State’s lottery for an annual management fee of just under €3 million.

Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin is expected to bring proposals for the sale of the licence to Cabinet early next month.

He hopes a longer licence and a greater share of the revenue generated from ticket and scratch card sales will attract international bidders and secure a large upfront payment for the exchequer, thought to be in region of €400-€600 million.

The contract will be worth €1.2 billion over a 25 year licence.

Likely winners: Camelot or the Australian operator Tatts Group. But probably not Paddy Power, because, under current regulations, the National Lottery precludes the tandem development of online gaming.

 

Next lottery operator could get annual fee of €50m (Irish Times)