Q: How much did Cork people win in the IRISH Lotto in 2018? A: only €4.1m, in large prizes

31 December 2017
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie

The National Lottery has created more than 22 new millionaires so far in Ireland in 2017, it was revealed this week.

Cheques of one million euros or more were written by National Lottery chiefs to 22 winning ticketholders on EuroMillions, Lotto, and Daily Millions draws during the year. In addition another €150 million was paid out this year to lucky players on National Lottery scratch card games.

And another millionaire is guaranteed this weekend through the popular Christmas Millionaire Raffle draw which takes place at 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. As well as a guaranteed top prize of one million euros there are 5,000 plus more super prizes ranging from €250,000 to €500.

An analysis of National Lottery top tier draw-based game wins reveals that the biggest prize paid out this year was a massive €88,587,275 on a EuroMillions Jackpot won by a Dublin work syndicate in January.

The highest Lotto win of the year was €12.8 million won by a family from South Dublin in March.

The analysis shows that Dublin was Ireland’s luckiest Lottery County, with more than €128 million paid out to players in 47 high tier wins in EuroMillions, Lotto, Daily Millions and Telly Bingo.

The second luckiest county was Mayo which saw players scoop a total of €31,429,907 in seven big wins. And Limerick emerged as the third luckiest county with more than €10 million won in five wins.

Figures released by the National Lottery show that:

• The total won on National Lottery prizes in 2017 is over €440m
• Total prize money paid on scratch cards this year is over €150 million
• There were two winners in Ireland of the EuroMillions jackpot in 2017, bringing to eleven the number of winners in Ireland since EuroMillions launched in 2004.
• This was a record year for EuroMillions Plus winners in Ireland with 31 players scooping this €500,000 prize. The previous record was 27 winners in 2009.
• There were 12 Lotto jackpot winners so far sharing over €71m

Ireland’s Top Ten luckiest National Lottery counties 2017 (Figures as of mid December)