National Lottery mania as first tickets arrive

March 1987

NATIONAL Lottery mania hits Dundalk. On a conservative estimate, around 40,000 tickets are sold in the first couple of days.

The reaction to the new lottery Instant 3 game tickets catches agents by surprise, after their launch on Monday, 23 March.

Arthur’s in Jocelyn Street sells out its 2,000 quota by 8pm on Monday. The shop’s biggest winner nets £50, with plenty of people getting three stars which enters them for a big draw.

The Dealga service station on the Carrick Road reports two-thirds of its supply gone by Tuesday.

Quinn’s supermarket, Sandy Lane, Blackrock, sells 850 tickets on Tuesday, and have a £100 winner.

Tickets are much in demand by people from Northern Ireland at the Olde Border Inn, Carrickarnon.

The main post office in Clanbrassil Street sells out – 2,500 are gone by noon on Monday. There are three £100 and nine £50 winners.

Elsewhere, people are queuing outside before McArdle’s newsagents, Castletown Road opens.

Carroll’s newsagents, Dundalk shopping centre sells a 3,000 quota by Tuesday afternoon.

Connolly’s in Greenacres are halfway through their supply by Tuesday, and Central newsagents in Clanbrassil Street goes through its 2,800-ticket quota at noon.

Meanwhile, in Park Street, The Mascot is on its third allocation by Wednesday, after selling 4,000 tickets.

Among the hard luck stories is a lady who buys a ticket which has three £100 symbols. However, she throws it in the fire, believing the ticket is a loser because the symbols aren’t in sequence.

A syndicate is put together to buy £100 worth of tickets, but the players only get £18 back.

The biggest early winner scoops £1,000 at Paul McBride’s shop in Castlebellingham.