There has been little promotion in Valletta for tonight’s jackpot. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Nine months after it was first drawn and two months since its relaunch, will someone finally claim the Grand Lottery jackpot – Malta’s highest ever national prize at €1.45 million – tonight?

Lotto receivers certainly hope so, as an instant millionaire will help change the perception among some punters that Maltco’s flagship game is impossible to win.

“It would be healthy for us if someone wins,” said a lotto receiver in Attard.

“Some people think it is good for us if no one wins but, actually, the opposite is true because it affects demand. Customers start asking if it can be won at all.”

The Grand Lottery was introduced with much fanfare last March and was initially played every two months. In September, Maltco decided to relaunch the game and draw the numbers weekly in the hope that it would capture the public’s imagination with its huge jackpots.

But a walk around Valletta yesterday afternoon seemed to suggest it had failed to take off in the way Maltco had hoped, with many lotto receivers still advertising last night’s Super 5 jackpot ahead of the Grand Lottery.

Customers start asking if it can be won at all

If a Super 5 jackpot gets anywhere near €1 million, media reports surface of punters eagerly snapping up as many tickets as possible, with some even going without groceries in the hope of striking lucky.

However, the Attard lotto receiver said this week’s Grand Lottery draw was not having the same effect.

“The demand is there but sales are static. I can’t say I see an increase in sales each time the jackpot gets higher because it raises doubts,” he said.

A lotto receiver in St Paul’s Bay said the Grand Lottery was still not as popular as Super 5 but a jackpot winner could change that.

“Customers are splitting their games at the moment. They are not buying only Grand Lottery tickets because they are still unsure about it.

“Some players find it more complicated than the other games,” she said.

At the relaunch, Maltco insisted that the odds of a ticket-holder winning the Grand Lottery jackpot each week were 1:700,000, which was more favourable than the odds in Quaterno and Super 5, Maltco’s other main lottery games. This is because 700,000 tickets are released for sale each week and one of them will definitely have the winning combination. But a guaranteed winner is dependent on all tickets being sold.

When the jackpot is not won, at least €20,000 is transferred to the top prize fund for the next week’s draw.

Tickets cost €3 and each one has a unique combination of 10 numbers consisting of seven digits, with 10 chances for the player to win a prize.

Apart from the top prize for whoever gets all the numbers correct and in the right order, there are lower categories with rewards ranging from €4,500 to €3.

A Maltco spokeswoman said the Grand Lottery had already attracted some regular, loyal players since it became a weekly game but others needed more time to get used to it.

“So far, no one has won the jackpot. But, since the first draw, there have been almost 7,000 winning tickets in the other seven categories. Unfortunately, many players would associate the winnings of Grand Lottery only to its first prize,” she said.

Lotto Receivers Union secretary Benny Agius declined to comment on demand from the public for tonight’s record Grand Lottery jackpot.

“I do not want to comment at this time. Maybe in a few weeks I will comment,” he said, somewhat cryptically.