The Sweep – our first lottery gets a new spin

THE Irish Hospitals Sweepstakes (1930-1987) was once the biggest lottery in the world.

The Sweep – our first lottery gets a new spin

This lottery was based on major horse races and with the catch-call ‘If you’re not in you can’t win,’ it had millions of people seeking tickets worldwide.

Tickets for the Sweepstakes were sold in over 130 countries. Authorised by the governments of the day and promoted internationally, the Sweep offered huge prize money and raised millions of pounds for Irish hospitals.

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