Sir, – Playing the Lotto has evolved over the years – picking six numbers from 36, then 39, 42, 45 and now 47 numbers. This has changed the number of combinations from 1.9 million to the current 10.7 million.
The motivation for the ever-increasing numbers grid, and ever-decreasing chances of actually winning the game, is marketing. The less often the jackpot can be won, the increase in the likelihood of bigger rollover jackpots. In turn the bigger jackpots reel in the punters, increasing the Lotto operator’s turnover. More people play when the jackpot is high. The operators of the Lotto are a business with shareholders to be placated, with profits and dividends.
How to increase the chances of success in the Irish lottery? Reduce the selection of numbers from the current 47 to 44 or 42. The odds of winning will improve, and it would be won more often. That means fewer rollovers, smaller jackpots.
Therein lies the problem.
The marketing people of the lottery operator would have less to work with to entice the punters. Make no mistake, the customers are punters – gamblers lured in by the prospect of a big win for a small stake. But the odds of winning are horrendously small. So small they would make most high street and internet bookmakers blush. – Yours, etc,
AODÁN McCAUL,
Cork.
Sir, – There is a proposal that if no Lotto player has the necessary six drawn numbers to win the current jackpot of €19 million, that this jackpot should then be paid out to the player or players with the next winning combination, such as five numbers plus the bonus.
The lottery is a game of chance and as such I personally believe that it should be allowed to run its course. But if the politicians insist on interfering, they should be very cautious of the possible repercussions One of these comes immediately to mind. Players of the National Lottery are able to play eight draws in advance. If the company that runs the lottery, Premier Irish Lottery, in agreement with the State regulator, authorise this Irish solution to an Irish problem, they must announce their intention to do so eight draws in advance. Otherwise any players who have played eight games in advance and do have the winning six numbers combination in the subsequent seven draws might sue both PLI and the regulator for the difference between the jackpot they actually won and the €19 million they should have won.
Finally, I would just like to point out that we are adults and are all aware that if you are not in, you can’t lose. – Yours, etc,
FINNIAN E MATHEWS,
Skerries,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Compelling the National Lottery to spend unclaimed prizes on self-promotion is shocking ("Lottery spent over €90 million in unclaimed prize money on advertising", News, December 16th). Surely there's 90 million reasons to give this amount to charities! – Is mise,
PAUL BUTLER,
Killaloe,
Co Clare.
Sir, – I served as chairman of An Post National Lottery Company for 13 years. The current odds for winning the jackpot are wrong in principle and in practice. The appropriation of unclaimed prizes into marketing expenses is a raid on the prize fund which would not have happened in An Post’s time. Unclaimed prizes belong to lottery players not the executive. It is time to turn back the clock. – Yours, etc,
JOHN HYNES,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.