National Lottery money for good causes fell again last year

Money generated for good causes by the National Lottery fell again last year, largely because of costs related to the privatisation of the franchise.

Figures for 2014 show the business raised €195 million for the charities and sporting programmes it supports, down from €205.9 million in 2013.

The fall-off was largely due to €9.5 million in wind-up and transition costs incurred by An Post as it handed over the running of the lotto to new operator Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI).

Report

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report this week also revealed that nearly 20 per cent of funds given out to good causes under the auspices of the National Lottery actually came from the Government coffers rather than ticket sales.

The figures, which cover the final 11 months of An Post’s term as operator and the first month of PLI’s stewardship, which began in December, indicate the lotto generated €688 million in sales of tickets and scratch cards.

This was marginally up on the previous year, halting a six-year decline in sales, but still well below the general pick-up in Ireland’s retail sector.

New millionaires

For the 11-month period to the end of November, the National Lottery’s latest annual report indicates players shared prizes worth €355 million, representing 56 per cent of sales, with 23 new millionaires created.

The largest jackpot win last year was €12.1 million, scooped by a syndicate in Donegal in June. In September, a syndicate from Ballybrack in Dublin took home €87 million in the EuroMillions draw.

The lotto’s main weekly draw games, which represent 43 per cent of overall sales, generated €272 million. Scratch card and online instant win game sales increased to €164.2 million.

EuroMillions sales, including EuroMillions Plus, also rose to €160.7 million.