National lottery ticketsellers have reported a mixed response to the first Lotto draw since the minimum stake was increased from £1 to £1.50. The minimum jackpot prize has also increased - to £1 million.
One Dublin city-centre newsagent, The Front Page, reported a 10 per cent increase in sales; a newsagent in Glanmire, Co Cork, reported sales down by 15 to 20 per cent. However, all were confident that people would disregard the increased cost of playing once the jackpot rose to several million pounds.
Mr Oliver O'Connor, owner of the News Flash shop on Lower Glanmire Road, said that there had been "quite a bit of reaction" to the increased cost of playing.
Lotto machines display the level of sales nationally. "About seven or eight minutes before the Lotto draw [on Saturday] sales were at £650,000. That meant they would have had to add £350,000 if there had been a jackpot winner", Mr O'Connor said. "We are going to have bigger jackpots and when it goes to £3 million or £4 million people lose their heads and won't be saying a word about having to pay £1.50."
The Gem shop in Bray, Co Wicklow, reported a slight decrease in sales. "There was a drop all right", an employee said. "A lot of people are still confused about the prices and sales were not quite as high. But the payouts are an awful lot better than they were and once people realise that they will be back."
A spokeswoman for the National Lottery said that it would know today if sales were down.
"Up to Friday, sales were as normal, and 60 per cent of people buy their tickets on the day", the spokeswoman said. "We will look at how people respond in the long term, but we are confident that it will be a success. Players are playing for bigger prizes and the main objective is to raise substantially more money for beneficiary projects."
