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Minister Brendan Howlin on the ball today with CEO of Premier Lotteries Ireland, Dermot Griffin. Conor McCabe Photography

Canadian-owned group to run the Lotto for next 20 years

A payout of €405 million will go to the State in coming days for lottery licence.

A CANADIAN GROUP called the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) has formally taken over the running of the Irish National Lottery.

OTPP, which also owns the Camelot Group, has teamed up with An Post and An Post pension funds, to take over the operation for the next 20 years.

The takeover, which will see a first installment of €405 million paid over to the State in the next few days, was given the welcome mat by Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin today. He said that he was “very pleased” at the move and that he believed the new operators would combine “valuable domestic experience together with international expertise”.

OTPP is worth over $130 billion and is Canada’s largest single-profession pension plan. It owns Camelot, which runs the UK Lottery along with other lotteries worldwide. An Post remains involved in the operation of the lottery.

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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Feb 27th 2014, 4:45 PM

    The government has sold the goose that laid the golden egg.I suppose when we have a country run by school teachers what could we really expect.

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    Mute Jeremy Usbourne
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    Feb 27th 2014, 7:20 PM

    Who would you prefer the lisence be sold to if not the company that bid the most?

    9
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    Mute Eoin Griffin
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    Feb 27th 2014, 7:50 PM

    Maybe just keep it in public ownership?

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    Mute Jeremy Usbourne
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    Feb 27th 2014, 8:12 PM

    It never was in public ownership.

    What part of that is so hard to understand!

    The licence was with one company…. Now it is with another….
    (The new consortium partially comprising of the former consortium).

    On both occasions the gov get a tonne of cash.

    The game remains the same, the profits % remains the same.

    8
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    Mute Bluemist
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    Feb 27th 2014, 4:54 PM

    I hope they do something about the prizes last night 7.5 million euros top prize next 5 numbers + bonus €25,000,it should be at least €250,000

    139
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Feb 27th 2014, 5:06 PM

    If you get 250,000 you’ll never need to play again. Can’t say the same if you win 25,000. The unfortunate reality of capitalism.

    37
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    Mute Neal •IntoYourHead
    Favourite Neal •IntoYourHead
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:51 PM

    God be with the days when the jackpot was IRL£250,000 and they make you earn it by spinning the wheel. Nobody wants to work for anything any more.

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    Mute Steven Boyd
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    Feb 27th 2014, 8:31 PM

    I won €5 last night with 3 numbers, definately won’t be playing again :-D

    15
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    Mute Darren Callaghan
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    Dec 13th 2014, 7:58 PM

    Same 3 numbers in the bookies would of won you 1500 euro , bookies all the way for me playing the lotto

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    Mute Straighttalker
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    Feb 27th 2014, 5:54 PM

    A scandalous sale coupled with the sneaky sale of bord gais,theirs nothing Irish owned left,what a disaster of a government,they have sold the whole country down the swanny.

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    Mute Johnny Downes
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    Feb 27th 2014, 5:22 PM

    The Germans run the country, and the Canadians run the lotto. What’s left?

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    Mute Brendan Harlowe
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    Feb 27th 2014, 5:35 PM

    Inda is all ours ……

    25
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    Mute Setrakian
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    Feb 27th 2014, 5:59 PM

    It’s a pittance for such a profitable state enterprise. As per usual the devil is in the detail & that’s very much not in evidence here. We are being sold off & out by this govt. What guarantee is there that the money paid by ottp will even be used wisely or well? This country’s assets are being stripped – piece by piece & we can all go f%%k off it seems. Howlin on the ball – Never. On the pigs back however – most definitely.

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    Mute Jeremy Usbourne
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:06 PM

    Its an increase on the previous deal

    5
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Feb 27th 2014, 4:40 PM

    Journal.ie caption under the photo is very disappointing. Howlin is not on the ball both physically nor in terms of figure of speech

    57
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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Feb 27th 2014, 5:39 PM

    Selling off the ” family sliver ” to Vulture capitalists.
    - so we will be left with the loss makers – and then told how great ‘ Private ” enterprise ” is ..

    49
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    Mute Paul Radburn
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    Feb 27th 2014, 5:05 PM

    Maybe now someone will win the daily millions jackpot for only the second time since it started. Prizes are really sh1te.

    48
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    Mute Anto Curran
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    Feb 27th 2014, 4:39 PM

    That’s a lotto money

    40
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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:10 PM

    Where is the money going?

    20
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    Mute Killjoy The Second
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:56 PM

    Building the National Children’s Hospital.

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    Mute Tony Hartigan
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    Feb 28th 2014, 1:30 AM

    Going to Angels Kerins of Rehab.

    9
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    Mute Jeremy Usbourne
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    Feb 27th 2014, 4:40 PM

    Not a bad price for a 20yr licence.

    29
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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:12 PM

    Well that’s difficult to know given that only the initial licence fee has been disclosed. But to give it some kind of context, the same group paid £400M stg to buy Camelot outright.

    12
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    Mute Jose Verano
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    Feb 27th 2014, 7:35 PM

    Lotteries are a tax on stupidity.

    20
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    Mute Oliver
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:20 PM

    Bookies is the job on Euromillions night. 100/1 for picking just 2 numbers.

    15
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    Mute James St John Smith
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:32 PM

    The lottery is for people who can’t do maths.

    11
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    Mute Patrick Gormley
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    Feb 27th 2014, 7:20 PM

    Good job the minister is up high on the steps ….otherwise if the were both on the same level, Mr Huelin’s tounge would be firmly up that chaps bottom without having to bend. Looks like we are a country of dwarfs.

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    Mute Wesley Eccles
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    Feb 27th 2014, 7:07 PM

    Why was my comment deleted? I only said why are the rollover amounts (0.5 million) not the same as the usually weekly amounts ( min of 1 million) if the Jack pot is won?

    8
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    Mute Noel Otley
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    Feb 27th 2014, 10:49 PM

    Little side issue.

    Lotto.ie currently publish the details of all Euro Lottery winners, whether they are in Ireland or Spain. Camelot do not. Why? ” they are of no interest to UK players” is the official answer.
    Will the new look Irish Lotto follow a similar course?

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    Mute Alan Ruane
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:51 PM

    €405 million for the Lotto. Now that’s a gamble.

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    Mute Kevin J
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:54 PM

    Lets hope they bump up the prize money on the matching 3,4 and 5 numbers, 250k for 5 numbers and the bonus ball is pitiful when the jackpot is 7 million.

    5
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    Mute MOD
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    Feb 27th 2014, 10:38 PM

    i wish i was a teacher in Canada.. why aren’t our unions doing this?, i guess they are still slobbering in the filthy muck

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    Mute Mike OCallaghan
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    Feb 27th 2014, 6:57 PM

    This is great news for a change and the sensible thing to do. Lets hope they restructure the draw and and increase the prize money for match 3 etc.

    4
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    Mute Dave Reilly
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    Feb 27th 2014, 7:21 PM

    Not going to happen. Run by a private company means all they’re interested in is turning a profit. Ticket prices will go up or prizes will go down. Not good for players.

    15
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    Mute Jeremy Usbourne
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    Feb 27th 2014, 8:13 PM

    It was previously run by another company.

    The profit split remains as before.

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    Mute Liam Deery
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    Apr 24th 2017, 11:07 PM

    The lotto is a joke. Better chance having few bob on a horse

    2
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    Mute Michel Williton
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    Nov 19th 2014, 7:53 PM

    I am very poor man who has always not find luck when it comes to playing the lottery. I have been playing lottery since i was 21years and now i am 45 meaning i have been playing lottery for 24years. The bigest amount i have ever won in my life was 400bucks. But one day my story turns to history after i find this man name on the internet that he is the best when it comes to winning lottery. This man is a very strong voodoo doc who gives out the numbers that can never fail. After all my years of labouring and struglling to win the lottery i finally $445,000. Lord Diva is the name, email is drsujuspelltemple@gmail.com this is the only way to win the lottery and the best way.

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    Mute BroadSideSkid
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    Feb 28th 2014, 8:32 AM

    “Some Load O’ Balls” !

    1
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