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What is the national lottery company in Ireland?

The National Lottery in Ireland is operated by Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI). PLI has the license to operate the National Lottery on behalf of the Irish Government. The National Lottery was launched in Ireland in 1987 and has contributed over €5.7 billion to good causes since then.

When did the National Lottery launch in Ireland?

The National Lottery in Ireland was launched on 23rd March 1987. The National Lottery Act 1986 authorized the establishment of the National Lottery to raise funds for good causes. The first National Lottery draw took place on 31st March 1987.

Who regulates the National Lottery in Ireland?

The National Lottery in Ireland is regulated by the Regulator of the National Lottery. The Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery was established under the National Lottery Act 2013. The regulator oversees the operation of the National Lottery to ensure it is run fairly, transparently and in the public interest.

Who operates the National Lottery in Ireland?

Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) is the current operator of the National Lottery in Ireland. PLI is a private company owned by An Post (20%), the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (80%) and An Post pension funds (5%). PLI was awarded the 20-year license to operate the National Lottery in 2014.

What games does the Irish National Lottery offer?

The Irish National Lottery offers a range of lottery games:

  • Lotto – The flagship draw game with jackpots up to €19 million. Players choose 6 numbers from 1-47.
  • Lotto Plus – An additional Lotto draw with bigger cash prizes. Players can enter using their Lotto ticket.
  • EuroMillions – A twice weekly pan-European draw game with jackpots up to €190 million.
  • Telly Bingo – Played on TV with a top prize of €10,000.
  • Daily Millions – A daily draw game with a top prize of €1 million.
  • Daily Million Plus – An additional Daily Millions draw.
  • Instant Win Games – Range of scratch card and online instant win games.

Where are National Lottery tickets sold in Ireland?

National Lottery tickets are sold at over 3,200 National Lottery retailers across Ireland including:

  • Newsagents
  • Supermarkets
  • Petrol Stations
  • Convenience Stores
  • Post Offices

Tickets can also be purchased online at www.lottery.ie or via the National Lottery app.

What are the most common winning lottery numbers in Ireland?

According to statistical analysis of past National Lottery draws in Ireland, the most frequently drawn lottery numbers are:

Number Frequency
7 248 times
27 246 times
38 245 times
18 242 times
22 241 times

The number 7 is the most commonly drawn number, having been selected 248 times in Lotto draws to date.

What is the biggest Irish lottery jackpot won?

The biggest lottery jackpot won in Ireland was €18.9 million. This record Lotto jackpot was won by a syndicate of 16 colleagues from a quarry and concrete plant in Bennekerry, Co.Carlow in June 2008.

Who were Ireland’s luckiest lottery winners?

Some of Ireland’s luckiest National Lottery winners include:

  • The Naul Family Syndicate from North Dublin who won €175.4 million on the EuroMillions in February 2019 – the biggest lottery win ever in Ireland.
  • A family from Dún Laoghaire, Dublin who claimed a €115 million EuroMillions jackpot in July 2005.
  • A retired couple from Dundalk, Co.Louth who won €17.7 million on the EuroMillions in January 2017.
  • 16 quarry workers from Bennekerry, Co.Carlow who shared a €18.9 million Irish Lotto jackpot in June 2008.

What is the most common EuroMillions winning number in Ireland?

The most frequently drawn EuroMillions numbers among Irish players are:

Number Frequency
19 63 times
37 63 times
4 62 times
21 62 times
44 62 times

Number 19 is the ‘luckiest’ EuroMillions number in Ireland, having been drawn 63 times since EuroMillions began in 2004.

How many Irish EuroMillions jackpot winners have there been?

There have been 5 EuroMillions jackpot winners from Ireland since the game began in 2004, including:

  • Naul Family Syndicate, Dublin – €175.4 million (Feb 2019)
  • Family from Dublin – €115 million (July 2005)
  • Retired couple, Dundalk – €17.7 million (Jan 2017)
  • 22-year-old lady, Belfast – €27.6 million (Jan 2014)
  • Syndicate, Co. Tipperary – €26.8 million (Sept 2007)

In total, over €1 billion has been won by Irish players in EuroMillions prizes since 2004.

What are the odds of winning the Irish Lotto jackpot?

The odds of winning the Irish Lotto jackpot by matching all 6 numbers are 1 in 10,737,573. This means you have a 1 in 10.7 million chance of hitting the Lotto jackpot.

The overall odds of winning any National Lottery draw game prize (including lower tier prizes) are 1 in 29.

What are the odds of winning the EuroMillions jackpot?

The odds of winning the EuroMillions jackpot are 1 in 139,838,160. You have to match all 5 main numbers plus the 2 lucky star numbers to scoop the jackpot.

The overall odds of winning any EuroMillions prize are 1 in 13.

How many Irish people play the lottery each week?

Over 1.5 million Irish people play National Lottery games each week. On average, 71% of Irish adults play National Lottery games at least once a year.

What is the average amount spent on the lottery per person in Ireland?

The average weekly amount spent on the National Lottery per player is around €6-€7. The average Irish person spends approximately €325 per year on lottery tickets.

How much does the average Irish person spend on EuroMillions?

The average weekly spend on EuroMillions among Irish players is estimated at €2.50. With draws held twice weekly, the average annual spend on EuroMillions in Ireland is around €130 per person.

Where does National Lottery money go in Ireland?

National Lottery funding is distributed to ‘good causes’ across Ireland including:

  • Sports, recreation and culture (35%)
  • Health and welfare (23%)
  • Youth, education and training (20%)
  • Irish language (5%)
  • Natural environment (8%)
  • National Heritage (6%)
  • Arts and culture (3%)

Over 30 cent in every €1 goes directly back to the government in prize money, VAT, duty and corporate tax.

How much money has the Irish National Lottery raised for good causes?

Since 1987, the Irish National Lottery has raised over €5.7 billion for good causes. In 2020 alone, €256 million in National Lottery funding was raised.

Key beneficiaries include the Health Service Executive, Irish Sports Council, Arts Council of Ireland, Heritage Council and a range of charities.

Who owns the National Lottery in Ireland?

The National Lottery in Ireland is owned by Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI). PLI is a private consortium made up of:

  • An Post (20%)
  • Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (80%) – A Canadian pension fund
  • An Post pension funds (5%)

PLI was awarded the 20-year licence to operate the National Lottery in 2014 after a competitive tender process.

Does Ireland allow online lottery ticket sales?

Yes, Irish lottery tickets can be purchased online. Tickets for games like Lotto, EuroMillions and Daily Million can be bought via the National Lottery website www.lottery.ie or mobile app.

Online sales account for over 30% of National Lottery ticket sales in Ireland.

Can you buy Euromillions tickets online from Ireland?

Yes, Euromillions tickets can be purchased online when you are in Ireland. Tickets can be bought via the National Lottery website www.lottery.ie or mobile app up until 7:30pm on draw days.

To play Euromillions online, you must have an Irish address and debit/credit card. Each line costs €2.50.

What is the minimum age to play the lottery in Ireland?

You must be 18 years or older to play National Lottery games in Ireland, including buying scratch cards and online instant win games. Lottery tickets cannot be sold to anyone under 18 years of age.

Can tourists play the Irish lottery?

Yes, tourists and visitors to Ireland are allowed to purchase National Lottery tickets. You do not need to be an Irish resident to play lottery games like Lotto and EuroMillions.

Tourists can buy tickets in-store at approved lottery retailers or via the National Lottery website and app.

Can you buy Irish lottery tickets outside of Ireland?

No, original Irish lottery tickets can only be purchased within Ireland. However, some authorized resellers allow you to bet on Irish lottery results when you are outside of Ireland.

Many online lottery betting sites based internationally offer betting on Irish Lotto and EuroMillions draws.

Do Irish lottery prizes expire?

Yes, there is a time limit to claim National Lottery prizes in Ireland. Prizes must be claimed within 90 days of the relevant draw taking place. After 90 days, unclaimed prizes are forfeited.

EuroMillions prizes must be claimed within 120 days of the draw in Ireland and other participating countries.

What happens to unclaimed Irish lottery prizes?

Any National Lottery prizes that are not claimed within 90 days go back into the National Lottery Good Causes fund. Unclaimed prizes help boost the money raised for charity.

On average, around €1 million worth of lottery prizes go unclaimed each year in Ireland.

What was Ireland’s first National Lottery game?

Lotto was the first National Lottery game to launch in Ireland. The inaugural Lotto draw took place on 31st March 1987, just days after the National Lottery opened on 23rd March.

The starting Lotto jackpot was IR£250,000. It cost 30p per line originally with players choosing 6 numbers from 40.

When did Ireland join the EuroMillions lottery?

Ireland joined the EuroMillions lottery in 2004. The EuroMillions lottery held its first draw on Friday 13th February 2004, with Ireland being one of the 9 original participating countries.

The Irish National Lottery held its first EuroMillions draw on Friday 16th October 2004.

Who was Ireland’s first National Lottery winner?

The first ever National Lottery winner in Ireland was Noel French from Donaghmede, Dublin. On 31st March 1987 he matched five numbers plus the bonus ball to win the maiden Lotto jackpot of IR£250,000.

The first online National Lottery winner was John Moylan from Co.Carlow who won €500,000 playing an instant win game in 2002.

Has anyone won the Irish lottery twice?

Remarkably, there have been two instances of people winning big Irish lottery prizes twice:

  • A retired lecturer from Co.Kildare won €81,000 on Lotto in 2013 and €500,000 on a scratch card in 2016.
  • A Dublin woman scooped €100,000 on a scratch card in 2015 and €130,000 on Winning Streak in 2019.

The odds of a double Irish lottery win are estimated at 283 billion to 1!

Has anyone won EuroMillions twice in Ireland?

There has been one instance of an Irish player winning two substantial EuroMillions prizes:

  • A Dublin work syndicate won €28,505 in 2013 and then an incredible €175 million in 2019 – the biggest EuroMillions jackpot ever in Ireland.

No Irish player has won the EuroMillions jackpot twice.

Who is Ireland’s biggest individual lottery winner?

Ireland’s biggest individual lottery winner is Dolores McNamara from Limerick. In July 2005, she claimed a record-breaking €115 million EuroMillions jackpot. She was Ireland’s first lottery winner over €100 million.

Who owns the rights to unclaimed Irish lottery prizes?

Unclaimed or expired Irish lottery prizes belong to the National Lottery. By law, any unclaimed prizes go into the central National Lottery Good Causes fund after 90 days.

This money then gets redistributed to various charities and community organizations across Ireland.

Conclusion

The National Lottery has become an integral part of life in Ireland since starting in 1987. Operated by Premier Lotteries Ireland, it offers players a chance to win life-changing sums of money. Over €5.7 billion has been raised for thousands of good causes nationwide thanks to National Lottery players. While the odds of winning are long, there have been several remarkable Irish jackpot winners over the years.