Ireland: Ready for a Global Lotto

Ireland’s relationship with lotteries has been a long one. Before the National Lottery launched in 1987, there was the Irish Sweepstake, involving a drum full of tickets that corresponded to racehorses. Jackpot, Telly Bingo and Winning Streak were some of the features introduced by the National Lottery, but it is the success stories that give it all value.

The Journal names three stores in Ireland with the most sales of winning tickets. By 2017, Dublin’s GPO gave away 14 such tickets, their total giveaway amounting to over €15 million. Ardkeen Superstores’ eight tickets beat that with a worth of €19.5 million. Lucky shops, such as O’Neill’s Newsagent in Bridgend, enjoy flocks of customers from far and wide coming for that extra chance at a big win.

“Lottery Tickets” by rusty_clark (CC BY 2.0)

A New World

But the lotto landscape has changed. Digital platforms and developing technologies continually provide more and luckier opportunities. A growth of 160% has been declared by Juniper Research, identifying mobile devices as the driving force behind an estimated increase in wagers on online lotteries to $76 billion by 2022. The 317 million digital lottery users of 2018 are said to reach 624 million in the next four years. Now, how does this affect Ireland?

In addition to local lottos, players have access to a range of lotteries across the globe. This is thanks to providers putting down roots in more and more places, including Ireland. Lottoland.ie is one of many websites offering access to international prizes, from the US to Poland to Australia, by betting on the outcome of the draws.

International Lotteries

Best known are the jackpots of the PowerBall and MegaMillions in the US, $1.6 billion being the biggest giveaway in the PowerBall’s record, according to Lottoland. Its competitor is not too far behind, with a jackpot of $656 million. Not a bad place to try your Irish luck.

EuroMillions and EuroJackpot are the equivalent big lotteries in Europe, played across several countries. The first guarantees in the UK £1 million to at least two players, while the latter rivals these chances, but with smaller prizes. No matter where you are, these opportunities are open to everyone with a computer or mobile.

Even the El Gordo is available, the Spanish Christmas Lottery dubbed the ‘Fat One’, once restricted to its country of origin. Now, its €2.3 billion welcomes the rest of the world through online providers. There is a Bitcoin Lotto too, which Fortune expects will outmanoeuvre the PowerBall and MegaMillions both. By matching six numbers, players can win a jackpot of at least 1000 BTC, which can be claimed as is or in a cash denomination.

Essentially, the digital age is thinning the lottery borders and allowing all to take a punt on massive jackpots that used to be out of reach. A new wardrobe, a car, a house – these things are no longer untouchable dreams, especially, for the Irish, blessed with some reportedly lucky neighbourhoods in Dublin, Carlow, Laois and elsewhere. So cross your fingers around your horseshoe and try to catch Lady Luck’s smile.