Donegal is the fourth luckiest county in Ireland when it comes to RTE’s Winning Streak gameshow.
Players from our county represent the fourth highest to appear on the television show with 283 players from Donegal winning €7,421,147 in the past 28 years.
More than €168 million has been won by players on the iconic game show figures released today by the National Lottery reveal.
The popular programme, one of Europe’s longest-running game shows, is celebrating its 1,000th episode this Saturday and has featured 5,925 players since it first aired on September 21st 1990.
An analysis of winnings over the 28 seasons of the programme shows the luckiest counties by appearances (with Dublin no. 1), and by highest average prize per player (with Kilkenny at no. 1).
The top five luckiest counties by appearances are:
Dublin – 1,044 players winning a combined €29,139,734.
Cork – 573 players winning a combined €17,619,767
Galway – 346 Winning Streak players winning a combined €9,336,018
Donegal – 283 players winning a combined €7,421,147
Limerick – 266 players winning a combined €7,956,136.
The top five luckiest counties by highest average prize per player:
Kilkenny – average win of €34,530 per player
Wicklow – average win of €33,030 per player
Cork – average win of €30,750 per player
Leitrim – average win of €30,607 per player
Westmeath – average win of €30,395 per player
RTÉ’s dynamic duo of Marty Whelan and Sinead Kennedy have been presenting the show together since 2013, with Marty presenting since 2009.
Speaking ahead of the 1,000th episode of Winning Streak this Saturday, Marty Whelan said: “1,000 shows is such an impressive feat but a true testament to how the format of Winning Streak works. It is reality TV, before reality TV existed, and to get to know each of the five players every week while guiding them through the games and watching them win thousands of euros is fascinating.
“It has been an honour to have played a part in the success of the show which has been a Saturday evening staple in households across Ireland for almost three decades.”
Entering her fifth series on Winning Streak, Sinead Kennedy said: “My favourite part of the show is getting to know each contestant over the week leading up to the show, first by having a conversation or two over the phone, and then meeting them in person. Even though the show is only on for one hour, in that hour I think that the viewers also get to know five players on screen and that is what makes the show so successful.”
National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin, said Winning Streak is unique and there is nothing else like it around the world.
“The show is a very important and treasured part of the National Lottery “family”. Part of its success is the fact it reaches into every community in Ireland. Over the years we have had players from every County who bring with them supporters to RTE every week to celebrate. This inclusiveness is part of the success of the show and why it has sustained over so many years.”
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