62% of all adults in Ireland play the lotto on a regular basis. According to National Lottery figures for 2013, 23 new millionaires were created during the past year, winning a combined total €382.7 million.

This represents 56% of sales. In addition, there were two Euromillions jackpot winners, winning €94 million and €12.8 million each during the year.

Euromillions sales were €117.8 million, a 10.4% reduction on 2012 when sales were boosted by a strong run of 17 jackpots over €100 million.

The Lotto says "This drop was consistent with the overall fall in the Euromillions group sales".

Scratch card sales are continuing to rise - up 2.5% to €167.7 million from €163.5 million in the previous year.

Play Online sales were up by 30% to €11.2 million, as the number of registered players increased to 57,000 by end 2013.

However the State company says overall sales were down last year by 6.8% from over €735 million in 2012, to over €685 million in 2013.

A lack of significant jackpot rolls on both of the main draw games is being blamed for the decrease. Total operating costs were down 6.5% to €96.6 million - including €42.1 million in agents commission.

But the sales generated over €205 million for charities last year - bringing the overall level of funds raised since the launch of the National Lottery to €4.4 billion.

In October last year, Premier Lotteries Ireland - a consortium of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, An Post and An Post Pension Funds - was named as the preferred bidder for the new 20 year National Lottery licence following a tender process.