The news that Irish lottery ticket sales declined significantly last (2009) year is perhaps an indication of the hard economic times punters have been experiencing.
Sales dropped Euro 40 million to Euro 815.1 million as cash-strapped punters stopped buying Lotto tickets - a drop of 11.4 percent drop in overall sales.
Chief executive Dermot Griffin waived his performance bonus, but media reports indicate that staff numbers rose during 2009, from 92 to 99 people - mostly in administration. Payroll costs consequently rose by more than Euro 300 000 to Euro 7.8 million.
Breaking down the numbers, scratch card revenue declined by Euro 7 million to Euro 163.7 million, and EuroMillions game sales were down Euro 2 million - a Dublin resident won Euro 29 million, Ireland's second biggest EuroMillions prize yet.
The All Or Nothing daily game proved popular, gnerating Euro 3.4 million in less than three months after launching in October 2009, whilst . Tellybingo sales were up 2.5 percent to Euro 14.3 million.
Management noted that online operations had performed well, generating Euro 744 000 from 6 000 online punters, and revealed that there are plans to introduce more internet games.
Winners accounted for a total of Euro 438 million throughout 2009.
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