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21 Jan 2026
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21 Jan 2026
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The analysis, which compared expired winnings across every county against population figures, revealed that Louth tops the table
Donegal has been named one of Ireland’s unluckiest counties when it comes to Lotto wins left unclaimed, according to new research.
A study by Casino.org Ireland found that since 2015, Donegal players have lost out on €4.6 million in expired prizes. When broken down by population, that’s an average of €27.66 per person – placing Donegal fifth in the national rankings of unclaimed Lotto winnings.
The analysis, which compared expired winnings across every county against population figures, revealed that Louth tops the table, with €10.3m in unclaimed prizes – the equivalent of €74 per resident. Kerry followed in second place (€55 per resident), with Galway in third (€39).
Donegal sits just behind Limerick (€27.68 per person) in the table, and ahead of much larger counties like Cork (€22.71) and Dublin (€21.19). Nationally, more than €100m worth of Lotto prizes have gone unclaimed in the past eight years.
The figures highlight the importance of checking tickets carefully and claiming prizes within the 90-day deadline set by the National Lottery.
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