WIN
€1.2MILLION was paid out on average every day to lucky Lotto winners last year.
Figures released by the National Lottery reveal €452million was won in prizes in 2017, up €30million on the previous 12 months.
More than €226million – or €620,000 a day – was raised for good causes across the country thanks to Lotto sales.
Premier Lotteries Ireland chief Dermot Griffin said 2017 saw the second consecutive year of considerable growth and added strong participation rates showed “Irish people continue to support their National Lottery and good causes”. He said: “We have had many special moments in our winners’ room in 2017, a year which saw 20 new millionaires created.
“While their lives have been changed by playing National Lottery games, the lives of people living in communities all over the country have also been changed for the better thanks to good causes funding.”
The statistics showed sales increasing from €750million in 2016 to €800million last year.
Three Euromillions jackpot winners shared €156.4million in 2017.
A Dublin work syndicate won €88,587,275 in January thanks to a ticket sold at the Applegreen motorway services station on the M1 Northbound at Lusk, Co Dublin.
A Mayo family picked up €29million in July on an entry bought at the Garryduff XL store in Castlebar, Co Mayo.
And luck struck the capital again when a family syndicate won €39million in the December 29 draw. The ticket was purchased at the Village Shop in Malahide.
Meanwhile, 31 winners scooped the Euromillions plus prize of €500,000, the previous record having been 27 in 2009.
Lotto wins helped create 20 new
Ernesta Sukyte and Severina Balanuta of Applegreen Lusk celebrate selling €88million ticket millionaires, while €48million was given in commission to retailers who sold golden tickets. There were 12 Lotto jackpot winners over the course of the year who shared €71million, the biggest prize being the €12.8million scooped by a Dublin syndicate.
The figures revealed 1.36 million Irish adults play Lotto games regularly, while scratch cards are still as lucky as ever with punters taking home more than €150million.
was handed over to good causes thanks to Lotto sales in 2017
Euromillions jackpot won by Dublin work syndicate last year