Wednesday’s €17 million Lotto jackpot is the game’s second highest in history, as the estimated top prize has rolled upwards for over three months.
The jackpot is now nearing its maximum cap of €18.96 million following a summer of no winner, and no more money will be added to the prize once this cap is exceeded.
Since the Lotto game launched in 1988, only one jackpot in excess of €17 million has ever been won — which means that a single winner of Wednesday’s jackpot could become Ireland’s second largest jackpot winner in the history of the game.
A spokesperson for the National Lottery said tomorrow night’s draw may mark the end of “the extraordinary jackpot roll which has lasted for the majority of the summer.”
“Tomorrow’s draw could prove truly life-changing for one lucky Lotto player. A single winner could find themselves at number two on the list of all time highest Lotto jackpot winners in Ireland which we know is a highly coveted title,” they said.
“As the jackpot rolls, ticket sales are continuing to grow and we are appealing to players to follow public health guidelines and to purchase tickets early either in store, in app or at www.lottery.ie ahead of the deadline for sales at 7.45pm tomorrow evening.”
Previous winners
So far this year, there have been five Lotto jackpot wins by players in Limerick, Kilkenny, Westmeath, Cork and Galway.
A winner tomorrow night would become Ireland’s newest multi-millionaire as well as the sixth jackpot winner of this year.
The current Lotto jackpot has been rolling for over three months since June 9th. The jackpot cap of €18.96 million represents the record-breaking jackpot won by the Dan Morrissey syndicate in Carlow in June 2008.
Once the jackpot exceeds the cap, no more money will be added to the jackpot prize until it is won and the funds that would normally go to the jackpot will be distributed to the next lower prize tier at which there are winners.
If the jackpot is won at an amount higher than €18.96 million, that amount will become the game’s new jackpot cap.
Meanwhile, the Kerry Lotto player who scooped €257,723 after matching five numbers and the bonus in Saturday night’s draw has made contact with the National Lottery and arrangements are now being made for them to claim their prize.
The ticket holder came within just one number of the €16,419,005 jackpot on offer in Saturday night’s draw after purchasing their winning ticket at Carson’s Daybreak store in Beaufort village.
