Next Saturday's Lotto jackpot is set to hit a record €16 million - the country's biggest to date - following the absence of a winner in last night's draw for more than €13.3 million.
Lotto fever gripped the country last night with 5,500 tickets sold every minute between 6pm and the 7.45pm cut-off point. The jackpot was €13,310,830.
The excitement is set to grow as the week continues with next Saturday's jackpot estimated to be more than €16 million.
A spokeswoman for the National Lottery said last night that the company expected Lotto sales to continue at a phenomenal rate until the weekend.
"There is huge excitement out there," she said. "We've been rolling with the biggest jackpots the country has ever seen since last Saturday and the number keeps increasing.
"A winner has to be found at some point."
There were 153 match five winners last night, two of whom had the bonus number and will win prizes of £25,000 each.
There were 151 match five winners and each wins prizes of €1,830 each.
The numbers drawn last night were 5, 27, 28, 34, 44, 45 and the bonus number was 26.