Nearly one in five Lotto tickets now bought online

Even more players choose to purchase their tickets online for the EuroMillions draw, according to new statistics from the National Lottery

By: irishmirror.ie

Dec 23 2024
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Nearly one in five Lotto ticke

Almost one in five Lotto tickets are now bought online, figures released to the Irish Mirror have revealed.

And the popularity of playing digitally is even greater for the EuroMillions draws, where more than one in five people enter using the web.

So far this year, National Lottery prizes created 34 millionaires through draws and games - more than 25% of which were online winners.

Lotto chiefs have confirmed nine of those big winners – including the punter in Dublin who became a millionaire on Saturday night – won their life-changing prizes playing online.

The highest prize and biggest win of the year was the €14,674,966 jackpot scooped by an online player from Dublin.

Trying your luck using the Lotto website or in the smartphone app is the safest way to play as it means if your numbers do come up you don’t have to worry about keeping your winning ticket safe as your tickets are stored safely in your Lotto account.

And with just four more chances to become a millionaire in the main Lotto and EuroMillions draws this year, now might be a good time to set up your own Lotto account.

The National Lottery told the Irish Mirror this week that its digital presence is soaring, with online play now accounting for 18.3% of all participation this year so far.

Weekly Lotto plays online average 18%, while EuroMillions sees 21% of its plays through digital channels. Lotto chiefs said the growth in online play popularity reflects a shift toward convenience and accessibility. However, traditional ticket purchasing remains deeply rooted in Irish culture.

Many players still cherish the experience of visiting their local shop, chatting with their retailer and having a physical ticket in their hand. Players say it’s a tradition that remains the cornerstone of the National Lottery’s charm. This year, the players’ stories captured the ongoing magic of the country’s favourite bet.

This year, three winners who won more than €500,000 went public to share their good fortune – and all bought their golden tickets in retail stores. Among those thanking their lucky stars were Ballingly Joinery
syndicate in Wexford, who split a €1,000,500 Lotto Plus Raffle prize.

Kieran Doheny, from Laois, was also quids in when he won €500,000 on a EuroMillions Plus ticket.

One particularly heartwarming win came from the Munster Joinery syndicate in Cork and Kerry, who claimed €500,000 after 13 years playing together.

Group spokesman Seamus Buckley said: “Our group chat went into overdrive. Some didn’t believe me because I’m known as a joker, but this time it was no joke.”

Another advantage for online players is if they win a prize they will be notified by phone or email. And any small prizes of up to €99 will be automatically credited. However, for players both online and offline all larger prizes of €100 or more must be claimed within 90 days.

Lotto chiefs also stressed they are committed to responsible play, so online players cannot access games between 11pm and 7am and spending limits apply to all online accounts.

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