Lotto sales hit over €1 billion last year thanks to jackpot roll-over fever

National Lottery ticket sales exceeded €1 billion for the first time ever last year as people chased the rollover jackpot it has emerged, with the National Lottery chief defending the games as the lowest risk gambling available. 

Ticket sales for the National Lottery were up 14.7% on the previous year, Premier Lotteries Ireland full year results for 2021 show.

Chief Executive of Premier Lotteries, Andrew Algeo was a guest on RTÉ's Morning Ireland where it was put to him that €1 billion had been spent gambling last year.

However, he said National Lottery games are the lowest risk available of any form in Ireland, and are approved by the regulator before they are issued.

"We offer no incentives to spend more, in fact we limit customer spend and we don't sell tickets at night. We make sure our players are over 18. We advertise responsibly, and as a result of these controls, playing lottery games is unlikely to cause problematic gambling behaviour," he outlined. 

For the sixth consecutive year, growth was recorded in the money raised for good causes, which came to €304 million last year.

Operating profits were €25.3 million in 2021, up from €14.6 million in 2020 while commission payments to National Lottery retailers came to €55.3 million.

On average, 1.4 million people a week participated in National Lottery games in 2021.

Last year, the Lotto jackpot rolled over from Wednesday, June 9, 2021 and remained capped at €19.06 million from Saturday, October 2 until it was won on January 15, when a winner was guaranteed.

The rollover situation prompted much criticism with the issue being raised in the Dáil.