Maltco is expecting to bag more than Lm1 million in Super 5 ticket sales in just a fortnight, though there are concerns in some quarters that Malta is turning into a nation of gamblers.
As punters queue at lotto offices in an attempt to guess the five numbers, anti-gambling groups have expressed concern that the country is cultivating a gambling culture.
"We are promoting an environment where we are constantly gambling," Joe Gerada, the chief executive of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, told The Sunday Times.
According to Maltco, Super 5 sales reached Lm538,259 last week when the jackpot was Lm470,000. This means that more than 828,000 tickets were sold.
With a guaranteed minimum prize of Lm500,000 for whoever guesses the five numbers on Wednesday, the company estimates it will sell more or less the same number of tickets. The odds of winning are just one in 850,668.
Coincidentally, the Super 5 jackpot reached Lm500,000 in December 2005, almost two years to the date of the next draw. Three punters had shared the jackpot back then. And if nobody guesses the five numbers on Wednesday, the jackpot will continue to rise, making it the highest ever Super 5 prize.
A Maltco official said the increasing jackpot was what made the lottery attractive, with more people trying their luck when the prize was high.
But the lottery frenzy is not going down well with businesses, which have complained of falling sales as people spend their earnings on lottery tickets. Supermarkets have also felt the pinch, with one manager saying that there was a substantial drop in sales and another saying that, had it been a quieter time of the year, the effect would have been felt more.
However, Mr Gerada's primary concern is the number of gambling halls that seem to be mushrooming all over the island.
"They are accessible to young people, with some opening in areas where youngsters tend to congregate. This activity brings with it risks of gambling problems and the other problems, including family breakdown, the need for therapy and loss of working hours that society will have to pay for. We are very worried."
His concern is backed by figures. Between 2005 and 2006, the number of people, mostly in their 20s and 30s, who contacted the addiction agency Sedqa for help doubled.
Although the law prohibits under 18s from playing, gambling machines are very accessible to them.
"There is nothing to state that gambling halls should not be close to youth centres, sixth forms or other areas which attract youngsters," Mr Gerada said.
Moreover, the industry earns millions, which allows it to carry out advertising campaigns. We are not happy with the 7 p.m. watershed for television advertising, and believe this should be moved to at least 9 p.m.
"I am not being a puritan and saying that no gambling should take place in Malta; we are part of the world and cannot escape it. But let us be wise and try to protect young people as much as possible."