Ireland National Lottery to propose must-win jackpot draws

Dec 15, 2021, 1:19 pm (9 comments)

Ireland National Lottery

Debate about forcing a jackpot win heats up as Lotto jackpot continues to roll beyond six months

By Kate Northrop

Executives at Premier Lotteries Ireland, the operator of the Ireland National Lottery, are in talks about enacting regulations that would require a drawing for a capped jackpot to produce a winner after a certain number of rollovers.

After an Irish politician called for an audit of the Lottery's machinations, suggesting that there may be some flaws in the operation of the game that make it "unwinnable," CEO of Premier Lotteries Ireland Andrew Algeo said he plans to advocate for rule changes that will force a capped jackpot to be won after a certain period of time.

The last time a Lotto jackpot was won was back in June, and it's been months since it capped off at €19.06 million (then-$US22.16 million) at the end of September. Now in mid-December, the jackpot remains unchanged, taunting hopeful lottery players from a distance that seems ever out of reach.

For that very reason, many have been either speculating the legitimacy of the game or whether a rule change is in order.

Today, Algeo is set to appear before the Oireachtas finance committee, where he will propose regulatory approval for changes that would guarantee that "an improbably long wait for a capped jackpot win cannot occur again."

His submission to the committee explains that, after a certain period of time during which a jackpot has not been claimed, a draw would have to be won by someone matching five winning numbers instead of the usual six.

"[This] would allow us to provide certainty to Lotto players, as to the latest date on which this record €19 million jackpot will be won by," Algeo stated in the proposal.

Similarly to how the Lotto jackpot caps at a certain amount, the EuroMillions jackpot tops off at €230 million (US$260 million) where it will remain until the fifth consecutive drawing without a winner. While a player must normally match all five numbers plus the two Lucky Star numbers to win the jackpot, it is shared amongst the winners in the next tier below after it reaches the required limit of drawings.

After a capped jackpot is awarded, the cap is then increased by €10 million for future jackpots.

So far, there has only been one instance in EuroMillions 20-year history where this has happened.

As the Ireland Lotto jackpot continues to roll beyond six months, Algeo argues that the case is "highly unusual," however he does not discount the true random nature of the lottery impacting these circumstances.

"Given the tickets purchased since early June, the chances are akin to rolling a die 37 times without the number six arising," Algeo continued. "Then again it was somewhat unusual that we had Lotto jackpot winners on three consecutive Saturdays just before this long roll. Variation in jackpot roll lengths occur because each lottery draw is a pure game of chance without memory."

He also contends that it is imperative the National Lottery considers the interest of lottery players in the long run and that they must represent the jackpot as "both aspirational and possible." Keeping the jackpots "large enough and won frequently enough," he says, will achieve this.

According to Derek Donohoe, the deputy regulator of the National Lottery, the Lotto game is "operating in line with game rules" without any regulatory issues. Additionally, "independent observers from KPMG attend every Lotto draw" to ensure that they are conducted in accordance with proper procedures.

"The current extended period without a jackpot win is unusual in the history of the game, but it is not unusual in the history of lotteries," Donohoe remarked. "Statistically unlikely events are part of the nature of game of chance and lotteries."

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Raven62's avatarRaven62

So much for the key critical thinking skills: Analysis, Interpretation, Inference, Explanation, Self Regulation, Open Mindedness, and Problem Solving!

Bleudog101

Off subject...Merry Christmas to GA lottery players....1225 just came in for $2.33 million on Pick 4; guess they don't have a liability limit.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Dec 15, 2021

Off subject...Merry Christmas to GA lottery players....1225 just came in for $2.33 million on Pick 4; guess they don't have a liability limit.

I think the GA Lottery does have a liability limit, but it's at least $6 million for sure on Pick 4.  They usually pay out around $6 million when quads hit.

Coin Toss's avatarCoin Toss

Quote: Originally posted by Raven62 on Dec 15, 2021

So much for the key critical thinking skills: Analysis, Interpretation, Inference, Explanation, Self Regulation, Open Mindedness, and Problem Solving!

Raven62,

They're leaving that up ro leprechauns and not for export Guinness Stout

Jointed Leprechaun Decoration From S&S Worldwide

KY Floyd's avatarKY Floyd

The important question is what happens to all the money that isn't used to increase the jackpot. Not resetting the jackpot lets players have another chance at the same large payout in successive drawings, but if the money isn't being returned to players by some method other than an increased jackpot then it's the lottery that's winning all of the drawings without a jackpot winner.

kao1632

Quote: Originally posted by KY Floyd on Dec 16, 2021

The important question is what happens to all the money that isn't used to increase the jackpot. Not resetting the jackpot lets players have another chance at the same large payout in successive drawings, but if the money isn't being returned to players by some method other than an increased jackpot then it's the lottery that's winning all of the drawings without a jackpot winner.

Looking at previous (to the 19 million euro jackpot)

18th August 2021. Jackpot 10m euros..

Second division paid out € 52,969.00 to one ticket.

 

Most reccent draw (jackpot 19m euros.. 15th December 2021) 

3 second division winners each got € 283,017.00

 

So, wild stab in the dark.. the money that would have gone to increasing the jackpot  flows down to the 2nd division.

kao1632

" the EuroMillions jackpot tops off at €190 million (US$214 million)"

26th February 2021, it topped out at € 210,000,000.00. Pretty sure it has hit € 220,000,000.00 this year...

 

The upper limit seems to go up if the previous upper limit is hit 

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by kao1632 on Dec 16, 2021

" the EuroMillions jackpot tops off at €190 million (US$214 million)"

26th February 2021, it topped out at € 210,000,000.00. Pretty sure it has hit € 220,000,000.00 this year...

 

The upper limit seems to go up if the previous upper limit is hit 

You're right about that, and the story has been updated accordingly.  The Euro Millions cap now stands at €230 million.

Speler

They made it to hard to win. Our 6+1 /42 became a 6+1 /45. The price went from 0.5 to 1.25. My income didn't increase like the cost of a combination. - Euromillions first cost 2 euros, I believe and there were only 9 stars. No it costs 2.5 euros  and there are 12 stars. Payouts of 4/5's are poor.

End of comments
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