The corporate logo.

The National Lottery (Irish: An Crannchur Náisiúnta) is the lottery created in the Republic of Ireland by the National Lottery Act, 1986, for the purpose of raising funds for deserving causes. The National Lottery has been administered since its inception by An Post National Lottery Company (Irish: Comhlacht Chrannchur Náisiúnta An Post), a subsidiary of Ireland's postal services company, An Post. The company holds a competitive bid licence granted by the Minister for Finance, who retains ultimate authority in overseeing the operations of the lottery and distributing its proceeds. Image File history File links An_Post_National_Lottery. ... Image File history File links An_Post_National_Lottery. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... A lottery is a popular form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize. ... The An Post logo An Post (English literal translation: The Post, English official title: The Post Office) is the State-owned provider of postal services in Ireland. ... The Minister for Finance is the senior minister at the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais) in the Irish Government. ...

The National Lottery's online and instant-ticket services are currently provided by a contractor, GTECH Ireland, a wholly owned subsidiary of GTECH Corp. GTech is a company based in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, in the United States. ...

Lottery Licence

Passed by the Oireachtas on July 15, 1986, the National Lottery Act invited competitive bids for a licence to run a national lottery in Ireland under the auspices of the Minister for Finance. The Irish Hospitals' Sweepstake, Rehab Lotteries, and An Post all entered the tender process in that year. An Post won the lottery licence, and has retained it since then. The Oireachtas is the National Parliament of the Republic of Ireland. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... The Minister for Finance is the senior minister at the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais) in the Irish Government. ... The An Post logo An Post (English literal translation: The Post, English official title: The Post Office) is the State-owned provider of postal services in Ireland. ...

The National Lottery Act stipulates that the lottery license must be reissued under a competitive bid process at least once every ten years. The current licence was granted to An Post National Lottery Company for the period January 1, 2002 until December 31, 2008. In July 2006, then–Minister for Finance Brian Cowen extended the license for a further two years, until December 31, 2010[1]. The Minister also has the statutory authority to revoke the license at any time. is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2010 (MMX) will be a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

National Lottery Fund

The National Lottery Fund consists of an account kept at the Central Bank of Ireland, into which the proceeds of the lottery are paid. The National Lottery Fund is used to fulfill the primary objective of the National Lottery, which is the funding of good causes. Funds are distributed from the National Lottery Fund to private and public projects by the Minister for Finance. In 2006, the National Lottery raised €217.5 million for distribution to good causes, bringing the total raised since the inception of the lottery to €2.6 billion. Banc Ceannais na hÉireann or the Central Bank of Ireland is the Republic of Ireland which had control of the issue of Irish banknotes and coins. ... “EUR” redirects here. ...

Finances

Total National Lottery sales during 2006 were €679.1 million, up 10.2% on 2005. A total of €362.1 million was distributed as cash prizes. Operating costs in 2006 represented 14.6% of sales, or €99 million, which includes €42.1 million paid to retail agents in commission and bonuses.

Games

The National Lottery began gaming operations on March 23, 1987 when it launched its first scratchcards. Since then, the National Lottery has expanded its games to include lottery drawings, television bingo, and television game shows, and has begun participating in the pan-European EuroMillions game. The Lotto family of games (Lotto, Lotto Plus, and Lotto 5-4-3-2-1) accounted for 53.3% of total sales in 2006, while instant scratchcard games accounted for 23% of sales. is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... A scratchcard (also called scratch off, scratch game, scratch ticket, scratcher or scratchie) is a small piece of card where an area has been covered by a substance that cannot be seen through, but can be scratched off. ... “Quiz show” redirects here. ... A map of the countries that participate in EuroMillions. ...

All cash prizes won in National Lottery games are paid as tax-free lump sums, and all prizes in the Lotto and EuroMillions family of games must be claimed within 90 days of the applicable drawing dates. No one under the age of 18 may purchase tickets for or claim prizes in any National Lottery game.

Lotto

Lotto, the National Lottery's flagship game, began in 1988 as a 6/36 lottery. Its matrix has been changed three times in its history, most recently to 6/45 in November 2006. The minimum play has always been two lines of six numbers. Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... A lottery is a popular form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize. ...

Core Lotto sales have declined steadily in recent years, falling to €255.1 million in 2006, down from €262.6 milion in 2005, €275.6 million in 2004, €279.7 million in 2003, €285.3 million in 2002, €305.8 million in 2001, and €314.9 million in 2000. However, the National Lottery believes that structural changes made to the Lotto game in November 2006 will reinvigorate players' interest and boost 2007 sales to record levels. The events of late July 2007, when over two-thirds of Irish adults bought tickets for a record-breaking €16 million rollover Lotto jackpot, gives credence to this prediction.

Lotto 6/36: 1988-1992

The first Lotto draw was held on Saturday, April 16, 1988, with the drawing shown live on Radio Telefís Éireann television. In its inaugural format, six numbered balls were drawn randomly from a drum containing thirty-six balls. Players could win a share of a guaranteed £500,000 jackpot by matching all six of the drawn numbers, or win smaller prizes by matching four or five numbers. If no winning ticket was sold, the jackpot rolled over for the next draw. Drawings continued each Saturday night until May 30, 1990, when the National Lottery introduced an additional midweek Lotto draw on Wednesday nights. is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Radio Telefís Éireann[1] (RTÉ; IPA: ,  ) is the Public Service Broadcaster of the Republic of Ireland. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ...

In a 6/36 lottery, the odds of matching all six numbers and winning the jackpot are 1 in 1,947,792. At Lotto's initial cost of £0.50 for each six-number combination, all possible combinations could be purchased for £973,896. When the jackpot reached £1.7 million for the 1992 May bank holiday draw, a 28-member Dublin-based syndicate, organized by 43-year-old half-Polish businessman Stefan Klincewicz, tried to buy up all possible combinations and thus guarantee a jackpot win. Klincewicz's team had spent six months marking paper playslips, preparing for the "sting." ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Dublin city centre at night WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: Dáil Éireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ...

The National Lottery tried to foil the plan by limiting the number of tickets any machine could sell, and by turning off the terminals Klincewicz's ticket purchasers were using heavily. Despite the company's efforts, the syndicate did have the winning numbers on the night, but two other winning tickets were sold, too, so the syndicate could claim only one-third of the jackpot, or £568,682. Match-5 and match-4 prizes brought its total winnings to approximately £1,166,000, representing only a modest profit after expenses. Klincewicz subsequently appeared on the television talk show Kenny Live and capitalized on his short-lived notoriety with a self-published lottery-system book entitled Win the Lotto. ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... Kenny Live was a very popular television chat show which was broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One between 1988 and 1999. ...

Lotto 6/39: 1992-1994

To prevent a scheme such as Klincewicz's from happening again, the National Lottery changed Lotto to a 6/39 game later in 1992, raising the jackpot odds to 1 in 3,262,623. The first Lotto 6/39 drawing was held on August 22, 1992.To compensate for the longer jackpot odds, the company added a "bonus number" to the drawings. Whereas players previously needed either a match-6, match-5, or match-4 to win, prizes were now also awarded for match-5+bonus, match-4+bonus, and match-3+bonus. is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

Lotto 6/42: 1994-2006

Lotto became a 6/42 game on September 24, 1994, which made the jackpot odds 1 in 5,245,786. The National Lottery made this change to generate bigger rollover jackpots, partly so that people living near the border with Northern Ireland would not forsake Lotto for the larger prizes on offer in the 6/49 British National Lottery, which would begin operations in November 1994. At the same time, the National Lottery introduced computer-generated "quick picks" as an alternative to marking numbers on paper playslips. Some smaller retailers now only offer the quick-pick option. is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers which emulates a smiling face. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

For draws beginning September 26, 1998, the National Lottery increased the cost of a line of Lotto from £0.50 to £0.75. At this time it also doubled the game's starting jackpot to £1 million and increased most of the game's smaller prizes by 50%. is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ...

With the introduction of the euro currency on January 1, 2002, the cost of a line of Lotto became €0.95, and the starting jackpot became €1.269 million (the euro equivalent of £1 million). For draws beginning September 1, 2002, the price of a line of Lotto was rounded to €1 per line, and the starting jackpot was raised slightly to €1.35 million. “EUR” redirects here. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

Lotto 6/45: 2006-

In November 2006, the National Lottery changed Lotto to a 6/45 game, raising the jackpot odds to 1 in 8,145,060. It also made the starting jackpot a guaranteed €2 million, increased the match 5+bonus prize to €25,000 (up from €12,000), introduced a €5 match-3 prize, and increased the price of a line of Lotto from €1 to €1.50, keeping the minimum play at two lines. The company said that the structural changes were designed to produce about twenty Lotto jackpots of €5 million and over each year, and at least one jackpot over €10 million. The first 6/45 draw was held on Saturday, November 4, 2006. 67 die and about 300,000 people are affected by floods in Ethiopias Somali Region of Ogaden after the Shabelle River bursts its banks. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The National Lottery also changed the presenter of its televised Lotto draw, replacing Ronan Collins, who had presented more than two thousand draws since 1988, with Laura Woods.

The Consumers’ Association of Ireland criticized the 50% increase in the price of Lotto, noting that the game's minimum play of €3 per ticket now makes it one of the world's most expensive lotteries. By comparison, EuroMillions can be played for €2; the British National Lottery can be played for £1 (€1.48); and the Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries in the United States can be played for $1 (€0.73). A map of the countries that participate in EuroMillions. ... A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers which emulates a smiling face. ... “GBP” redirects here. ... Powerball logo Powerball is an American lottery operated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), a consortium of lottery commissions in 29 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ... Mega Millions logo Mega Millions is a multi-state US$1 lottery game in the United States. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Lotto Plus

In 2000, the National Lottery introduced Lotto Plus as an add-on to the main Lotto game. For an extra £0.25 per line, players could enter their Lotto numbers in an additional 6/42 "Lotto Plus" drawing for a fixed, non-rolling jackpot of £250,000. The first Lotto Plus drawing took place on October 25, 2000. ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

In 2002, a second Lotto Plus drawing was added, the two extra drawings were named Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2, and the cost of Lotto Plus was raised to €0.50 per line. The jackpots were fixed at €300,000 and €200,000 respectively. The first drawings for Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2 took place on September 1, 2002. is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

In November 2006, when Lotto adopted a 6/45 matrix, the Lotto Plus 1 and Lotto Plus 2 jackpots were raised to €350,000 and €250,000 respectively. The cost of Lotto Plus remained at €0.50 per line. 67 die and about 300,000 people are affected by floods in Ethiopias Somali Region of Ogaden after the Shabelle River bursts its banks. ...

As with the main Lotto game, Lotto Plus players can win smaller cash prizes for match-5+bonus, match-5, match-4+bonus, match-4, and match-3+bonus. For a match-3 in Lotto Plus 1, the winner receives a €3 scratchcard; a match-3 in Lotto Plus 2 wins a €1 scratchcard. A scratchcard (also called scratch off, scratch game, scratch ticket, scratcher or scratchie) is a small piece of card where an area has been covered by a substance that cannot be seen through, but can be scratched off. ...

Sales of Lotto Plus were €95.7 million in 2006, down from €103.6 million in 2005. Approximately 82% of Lotto players now choose the additional Lotto Plus option.

Lotto 5-4-3-2-1

Based around the main Lotto draw, Lotto 5-4-3-2-1 was introduced in February 1997. It allows players to win prizes by correctly matching one, two, three, four, or five of the drawn numbers. The more numbers players try to match, the greater the prize. Players may base their choices either on a six-number game (excluding the bonus number) or on a seven-number game (including the bonus number). Somewhat of a niche game, Lotto 5-4-3-2-1 accounted for €11.2 million in sales in 2005, an increase of 1.2% over the previous year. 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Record Lotto Jackpots

On July 28, 2007, after eleven rollovers, the Lotto's largest ever jackpot of €16,185,749 was won on a €4 quick-pick ticket sold in a Centra shop in the Farranree area of Cork city. The winners, Paul and Helen Cunningham, a married couple in their mid-fifties, collected their winnings at the National Lottery headquarters in Dublin on August 1, 2007, accompanied by their five children and extended family. The National Lottery estimated that two-thirds of the Irish adult population purchased tickets for the record-breaking draw. is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Centra is a convenience store chain in Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 37. ... is the 213th day of the year (214th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

The previous largest jackpot of £7,486,025 for the November 2, 1996 drawing was split between two winning tickets, one purchased by Mary and Paddy Kelly from Bailieborough in County Cavan, and the other by an anonymous seven-member syndicate from County Meath. ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Bailieborough (sometimes spelled as Bailieboro) (Irish: ) is a small town in County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Cavan Code: CN Area: 1,931 km² Population (2006) 63,961 Website: www. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Navan Code: MH Area: 2,342 km² Population (2006) 162,831 Website: www. ...

The largest Lotto prize ever claimed by a single individual is £6,216,048, won on May 21, 1997 by a County Cork farmer who chose to remain anonymous. ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Cork Code: C (CK proposed) Area: 7,457 km² Population (2006) 480,909 (including City of Cork); 361,766 (without Cork City) Website: www. ...

The largest unclaimed Lotto jackpot is £2,713,334 (€3,445,934). The one winning ticket for the June 30, 2001 drawing was sold in Coolock, Dublin, but its holder failed to come forward before the ticket expired at the close of business on September 26, 2001. ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Coolock (An Chúlóg in Irish, The Little Corner) is a large suburban area on Dublin citys Northside in Ireland. ... Dublin city centre at night WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: Dáil Éireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ... is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

November 1991 saw the biggest number of winners for a single jackpot when 20 tickets shared a jackpot of £2,396,346, receiving £119,817 each. ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ... ISO 4217 Code IEP User(s) Ireland ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = £0. ...

The town of Skibbereen in County Cork has been dubbed the country's luckiest Lotto town. Ten jackpot-winning tickets have been sold there since the inception of Lotto. Skibbereen (Irish: An Sciobairín) in Ireland is known as the capital of West Cork. ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Cork Code: C (CK proposed) Area: 7,457 km² Population (2006) 480,909 (including City of Cork); 361,766 (without Cork City) Website: www. ...

EuroMillions

Main article: EuroMillions

The National Lottery joined the transnational EuroMillions lottery on October 8, 2004. Initially slow to take off in Ireland, the game saw a 40% increase in ticket sales after Dolores McNamara, a 45-year-old mother of six from Limerick, won a jackpot of €115,436,126 on July 31, 2005. McNamara is the biggest individual winner in European lottery history, and still the only outright Irish winner of a EuroMillions jackpot. A map of the countries that participate in EuroMillions. ... A map of the countries that participate in EuroMillions. ... is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dolores McNamara (born January 13, 1960 in Blackpool, England) is the largest prizewinner in European lottery history. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference R574572 Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 20. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On November 17, 2006, two Irish winners each received a 5% share of an unwon €183 million jackpot when it was divided under the draw's 12-week rollover rule among all twenty players who got five numbers and one lucky star. The winners received €9.6 million each, a sum which also included the standard EuroMillions match-5+1 prize. One winning ticket was purchased in Limerick and the other in Cork. 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Irish Grid Reference R574572 Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 20. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Munster County: Area: 37. ...

Irish sales of EuroMillions reached €145.3 million in 2006, an increase of 145.7% over 2005 sales of €59.1 million. With sales of Lotto games and scratchcards on the decline, EuroMillions has become a key driver of the National Lottery's revenue.

EuroMillions Plus

In June 2007, the National Lottery introduced EuroMillions Plus, an Ireland-only addition to the main EuroMillions game. For an extra €1 per line, players can enter their five main EuroMillions numbers in an additional draw for a fixed, non-rolling prize of €500,000. Players can also win fixed prizes of €2,000 for a match-4 and €20 for a match-3. The first EuroMillions Plus drawing was held on June 15, 2007, and the first person to collect the top prize from the new game was Mary Teresa Moore, a 70-year-old great-grandmother from County Limerick. June 2007 is the sixth month of that year. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Limerick Code: LK Area: 2,686 km² Population (2006) 183,863 (including Limerick City); 131,303 (without Limerick City) Website: www. ...

Telly Bingo

Telly Bingo was introduced in September 1999. Players buy tickets with 24 randomly generated numbers, and can win prizes by matching the numbers drawn on a lunchtime TV show in a variety of patterns, with a prize of €10,000 for a full house. An additional €10,000 Snowball prize goes to someone who achieves a full house on or before the 45th number drawn; if not won, the Snowball prize rolls over to the next draw. Telly Bingo sales amounted to €14.5 million in 2006, down from €18 million in 2005. 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Instant Scratchcard Games

The National Lottery had a total of 22 scratchcard games on offer during 2006, ranging in price from €1 to €10, and offering instant cash prizes up to €100,000. Total sales of instant games amounted to €157.4 million in 2006, down from €160.6 million in the previous year. €97.6 million was paid out in prizes. A scratchcard (also called scratch off, scratch game, scratch ticket, scratcher or scratchie) is a small piece of card where an area has been covered by a substance that cannot be seen through, but can be scratched off. ...

Game shows

The National Lottery funds the prize money for two televised game shows, Winning Streak, which started in September 1990, and Fame and Fortune, which began in June 1996. The production costs of the programmes are paid for by Radio Telefís Éireann. Contestants become eligible by getting three "lucky stars" on associated scratchcards and submitting them in special envelopes; each episode of Winning Streak or Fame and Fortune includes a televised drawing to select the following week's contestants. Featuring simplistic money-oriented games played before vigorous audience participation, these game shows paid out a total of €10 million in prizes during 2006. A game show is a radio or television program involving members of the public or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, playing a game, perhaps involving answering quiz questions, for points or prizes. ... Winning Streak is an Irish game show, shown live on Saturday nights on RTÉ One, and funded by the An Post National Lottery Company. ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fame & Fortune is an Irish game show, broadcast on RTÉ One on Saturday nights during the summer months of June, July and August. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Radio Telefís Éireann[1] (RTÉ; IPA: ,  ) is the Public Service Broadcaster of the Republic of Ireland. ...

At the end of 2006, Winning Streak held a Christmas special called "Win a Million," on which Brigid Foran, from Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford won the top prize of €1 million. Broadcast on RTÉ One on New Year’s Eve, the show was watched by over half a million viewers. The village of Rosslare Harbour (Calafort Ros Láir in Irish) grew up to serve the needs of the harbour of the same name (now called Rosslare Europort), first developed in 1906 by the Great Western Railway and the Great Southern and Western Railway to accommodate steamferry traffic between Great... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Wexford Code: WX Area: 2,352 km² Population (2006) 131,615 Website: www. ... RTÉ One (Irish: RTÉ a hAon) is the Republic of Irelands oldest and most popular television channel, operated by Irish state broadcaster Radio Telefís Éireann. ... New Years Eve is a celebration held the day before New Years Day, on December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year. ...

See also

• Waking Ned — a comedy film based on the fictitious winner of the Lotto.

Waking Ned, titled Waking Ned Devine in North America, is a 1998 comedy film starring Ian Bannen, David Kelly and Fionnula Flanagan. ...

External links

• Official website