NEWPORT is officially one of the luckiest locations in Wales for Loteri Cymru winners, with nearly half of the county’s players winning a prize in the first seven draws.

Two Newport players have scooped the £1000 loto+ prizes and other players from the city have won prizes ranging from a free ticket to £250.

More than £45,000 has been distributed to thousands of winners in Wales since the first seven draws. This includes £1000 loto+ wins and a range of other prizes from free tickets to £250 cash prizes.

Those aged between 50 and 60 have been the luckiest players who’ve scooped the most prizes.

Numbers between 20 and 29 have been drawn 12 times, making them the luckiest numbers so far. The most drawn numbers are 21 and 38, which have each been drawn three times.

Loteri Cymru chief executive, Sue Carter, said: “We’ve been hugely encouraged by the high level of interest in Wales’ first society lottery, and are pleased to see the number of Newport winners.

“Clearly the city is onto something of a winning streak, and we look forward to seeing the outcome of subsequent loto and loto+ draws – perhaps our first jackpot winner will be from the area!

“We want to remind players that by playing Loteri Cymru they’re also contributing to important community causes in Wales, through our charitable arm Hanfod Cymru, which is another strong incentive to play.”

Loteri Cymru’s weekly draw has a guaranteed jackpot of £25,000 - the maximum the lottery can offer under society lottery rules - with proceeds raising money for grassroots community causes throughout Wales.

Jackpot winners need to match 5 of 39 drawn numbers, and every player with the 5 winning numbers will receive the £25,000. Other prizes are also on offer for matching fewer numbers. Tickets are priced at just £1 and players have a better than one in nine chance of winning a prize – better than the National Lottery Lotto.

Every ticket – unless it has scooped the jackpot – is entered free into loto+, a monthly raffle offering 10 guaranteed £1000 prizes. Tickets can be bought online only by anyone aged 16 or over at www.loteri.cymru and the weekly loto draw is broadcast on S4C at 8.00pm every Friday.