Under studio lights that have framed the Lotto draw since April 1988, a familiar routine is changing: the national lottery production move will shift Lotto production out of the broadcaster’s studios and into the National Lottery’s own headquarters. The first in‑house Lotto draw is set to begin from 11th March, with Telly Bingo following in a phased rollout.
National Lottery Production Move: What viewers will see
The immediate, visible change for viewers is a new timeslot and a new production home. The Lotto draw will be broadcast just before the RTÉ Nine O’Clock News on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with the Lotto and Lotto Plus draws also scheduled to be live‑streamed from National Lottery Headquarters at approximately 8: 00pm ET. Results will be posted on the National Lottery website shortly after the broadcast. Telly Bingo broadcasts will remain at 12: 45pm ET on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Kevin Bakhurst, director general of RTÉ, has described the broadcaster’s move to reduce on‑site production, saying, “The Lotto will be going out, because that costs us a lot of money to do, and there’s a better way to do it and it also enables us to let a few more people leave who we couldn’t leave this year. ” The change means lotto broadcasts will cease to be produced in the broadcaster’s studios from next week.
Why the shift is happening and what the National Lottery says
The National Lottery framed the decision as an operational consolidation. Cian Murphy, CEO of the National Lottery, said, “Bringing the production of our Lotto and Telly Bingo draws fully in‑house is an important and natural next step for the National Lottery. It enables us to align all our draw productions under one roof at National Lottery Headquarters, ensuring even greater consistency and efficiency across our operations. ” He thanked the broadcaster for nearly four decades of partnership and emphasized the continuity of broadcasts on RTÉ One.
The transition will begin with the Lotto draw moving in‑house from 11th March, with Telly Bingo to follow in the coming months as part of a phased rollout. Existing draw operations that already take place at National Lottery Headquarters—Daily Million and EuroMillions Plus—will now sit alongside Lotto and Telly Bingo under the same roof.
Checks, oversight, and the human stakes
Officials stress that controls will remain in place. All established draw controls and oversight mechanisms will continue, including KPMG’s independent observer role, and necessary approvals have been obtained from the Regulator of the National Lottery. The National Lottery also highlighted the social return tied to its operations: nearly 30 cent of every €1 spent on games goes back to Good Causes across areas such as sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish language. Since establishment, more than €6. 5 billion has been raised for Good Causes, and in 2024 alone €239. 3 million was raised for local communities.
The technical and staffing changes are being presented as an efficiency play while preserving integrity. The broadcaster’s earlier comments signalled a financial logic to outsourcing or relocating production work, while the National Lottery emphasized maintaining the highest standards of integrity, security and oversight as it takes on production responsibilities directly.
For long‑time viewers who have associated the draw with a particular studio and schedule, the change will be tangible: a different visual package, a new studio at National Lottery Headquarters, and a slightly altered rhythm to when results appear online and on air. Presenters who have supported the draws will continue to contribute, providing narrated voiceovers as the production model evolves.
The national lottery production move closes one chapter of how draws were produced while opening another in which the National Lottery centralizes operations and leans more on digital streams to reach players. Whether the new set of routines will feel familiar or markedly new to viewers will become clear as the first in‑house draws are broadcast—and as communities continue to see funds flow back to Good Causes.
