Limerick lotto player biggest winner of 2023 with €11m jackpot

‘IT COULD be you’ as figures show that 39 National Lottery players became millionaires in 2023 outstripping the 2022 total of 34 new millionaires by five.

That is according to National Lottery operator, Premier Lotteries Ireland which confirmed that the biggest winner of 2023 was a Limerick Lotto player who started the year by winning €11.1m in the fourth January draw.

On average, 1.2m people per week enjoyed National Lottery games in 2023 while commission paid to National Lottery retailers amounted to €43.8m.

CEO Premier Lotteries Ireland, Cian Murphy said: “Almost a quarter of a billion euro was raised for the Good Causes Fund in 2023, and we are delighted with the continued positive impact those resources have on thousands of Good Causes throughout the country.

“We embrace further change this autumn when we mark a new milestone for the National Lottery with a brand-new home across the Liffey at 1 George’s Quay.

READ MORE: Limerick breast cancer survivor calls on public to support Irish Cancer Society’s Big Pink Breakfast

He added: “This reaffirms our commitment to a vibrant Dublin city centre."

Mr Murphy was commenting on the release of 2023 accounts for the operator of the National Lottery which show that restructuring costs of €3.2m contributed to Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC last year recording an operating loss of €7.7m.

The accounts by Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC (PLI) show that revenues from ticket sales slumped by €54.7m or 6% from €884.1m to €829.4m.

The accounts show that the amount paid out to good causes also declined by €31.6m or 12% from €259.5m to €227.9m.

The amount paid out in prize money last year declined by €6.1m from €484.9m to €478.8m.

The amount paid out in prize money last year was 57.73% of sales in 2023 compared to 54.84% of sales in 2022. 

In their report, the directors state that “actual prizes won in any year are a function of many variables including sale levels, sales mix, prize structures and the roll sequence pattern of draws”.

The operating loss of €7.7m last year followed an operating profit of €8.2m in 2022 - a negative swing of €15.9m.

Finance costs of €34.7m resulted in Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC recording a pre-tax loss of €42.4m  - double the pre-tax loss of €21m recorded in 2022.

The directors state that sales through digital channels totalled €132.2m and represented 15.9% of all sales.

The company’s profits were hit during the year by €3.9m in non-trading costs that related to restructuring costs of €3.2m  and a €700,000 impairment loss on a tangible asset.

The pre-tax loss last year takes account of combined non-cash amortisation and depreciation costs of €33.3m.

The company last year received a capital injection of €501.4m and this allowed it to repay a €100m loan to its immediate parent, Premier Lotteries Ireland Midco.

The lottery firm also paid out a dividend of €100m and subsequent to year end, the directors recommended a further dividend of €20m.

Numbers employed by PLI last year decreased from 214 to 207 as staff costs declined from €19.1m to €18.7m.

Directors’ pay last year totalled €1.1m made up of emoluments of €1m and pension contributions of €100,000.

In July 2023, it was announced that PLI was sold to French gaming company and lottery operator La Française des Jeux (FDJ) in a deal worth €350m that was completed on November 3 last.

PLI, which holds the rights to the lotto until 2034, was majority owned (80%) Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) with An Post retaining a 20% stake in the business since 2014.