Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Apr 1993

Vol. 429 No. 7

Written Answers. - Lottery Game.

Liz McManus

Question:

55 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Finance if, in regard to the winning streak lottery game, he will give details of the total number of prizes given in each category since it started; and the total amount of prize money paid out.

Minister for Finance (Mr. B. Ahern)

Instant ticket game prize structures vary from game to game. The detailed breakdown of numbers of prizes in each category is, for business reasons, not released but for each individual game the prize structure, approved by the Minister for Finance, is formally certified by Accountants Ernst & Young.

The national lottery publishes average odds of winning prizes on all instant game tickets. For example, Allcash offers odds of 1 in 6.6 and "Winning Streak" 6 offers better than 1 in 9 of winning a cash prize. In order to realise these odds of winning the majority of prizes are in the lower prize categories.

Sales of the six "Winning Streak" instant games to 31 March 1993 are £110.1 million and pizes paid as at this date amount to £57.9 million which includes the prizes paid on the "Winning Streak" TV game show.

In 1992 the audited accounts for the national lottery showed that 53.5 per cent of all the instant game ticket sales was returned to players in prizes.