Changes to lotto may affect collection of winnings

Changes to the National Lottery may cause problems for punters who have yet to collect their winnings as local retailers switch over to a new payout system.

Upgraded terminals have been installed in shops nationwide — retailers are expected to operate a dual system for a time, using both old and new terminals, but the cut-off date for this is at the discretion of the outlet.

Once shops remove their old terminals, winning lotto tickets and scratch cards from the previous system can no longer be redeemed, despite being valid for 90 days.

A spokeswoman for the National Lottery said there have been no changes to this validity period and urged any affected customers to make contact with them.

“The last thing we want to do is inconvenience customers. If their nearest store only has a new terminal the customer can contact us and we will tell them where to find a shop running a dual system. Or they can post us the winning ticket and we will send them a cheque.”

The changes are part of a significant facelift of the National Lottery under the new ownership of Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) — a group which includes UK lottery giants Camelot and previous owners An Post.

In February PLI bid €405m — €100m more than its nearest bidder — to operate the licence for the next 20 years, becoming the first private owners of the Irish Lottery.

Under the new owners, lotto tickets are now green instead of yellow and scratch card designs have also been revamped.

Shops are now able to cash prizes up to €2,500 and will earn a 1% commission on winnings over €250.

In addition, a new lotto game show has been announced, which will be presented by former Westlife member Nicky Byrne.

The Million Euro Challenge will be broadcast on RTÉ One each Saturday from January 10.

The TV gameshow involves three players, each joined in studio by a family member or friend. Each of the players goes through a series of games, culminating in one lucky player getting the chance to play for the coveted prize of €1,000,000.

Million Euro Challenge scratch cards are now available countrywide, priced at €3.