The Super 5 jackpot should be capped at €250,000 to avoid frenzy buying, a social worker said as today's jackpot hits €725,000.

Many hopefuls buy a ticket to try their luck but what might be an innocuous acquisition for some could be a danger for others, who spend more than they can afford in the hope of hitting the jackpot.

"One person broke open his child's piggy bank just to be able to buy Super 5 tickets," Manuel Mangani, a Sedqa addiction agency social worker said.

He said that although the biggest problem for gamblers was caused by the gaming arcades mushrooming across the island, the Super 5 jackpot should not to be dismissed. "We would like to see the jackpot capped and the money spread over smaller prizes," he said.

However, Maltco general director Mario Cassar said this could be even more dangerous. He argued that when smaller prizes were increased, it enticed more people to buy a ticket because they felt their chances of winning something were higher.

The debate on a high Super 5 jackpot also affects shop owners, who have been known to complain about decreasing sales.

A year ago, when the weekly lottery hit more than €1 million, the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU complained that it affected business - from grocers to supermarkets, pizzerias and clothes shops - badly and called on the government to intervene.

Mr Mangani said the lottery frenzy was known to increase in proportion with the rise in the jackpot.

"When the jackpot is high, people, particularly those from the lower income groups, think it is a unique chance to solve their problems, so they buy more tickets than usual. But their wishes are not realistic because the chances of winning are minimal," he said.

In fact, the chance of hitting the jackpot is one in 850,668!

Mr Cassar said there was a core group of Super 5 players who buy a ticket irrespective of the jackpot, which starts attracting more people when it increases.