There were jubilant celebrations at National Lottery HQ this week as a host of Lotto millionaires dropped in to collect their life-changing cheques.
First in the door was a syndicate from Co Donegal who struck gold with a €1 million win in the 2pm Daily Million draw on Monday, March 10, after purchasing their winning Quick Pick ticket from Kernan's, Tullygay, Newmills in Letterkenny.
It was truly a dream come true for one member of the syndicate, who admitted: "I fantasise about winning the Lottery as a hobby, so to be here, in the winner's room, it's very surreal."
Recalling their incredible win, the head of the syndicate admitted they were left 'in a state of shock and disbelief' when they realised they had landed the life-changing seven-figure prize.
"We play every now and again, and on that particular day, I casually bought a ticket as I was passing by – not thinking much of it," they said.
"It wasn’t until the day after when I checked it. I was genuinely in a state of shock and disbelief."
When asked about their plans for their newfound fortune, the group agreed to sit on the news and celebrate together in the future.
Also paying a visit to Lotto HQ this week was a delighted Cork man who made the long journey to the capital to collect his €1m cheque which he won in the 9pm Daily Million draw on Saturday, March 29. His winning ticket was picked up from Healy’s SuperValu in Dunmanway.
"I’ve been playing my own personal numbers for well over 20 years," the Cork winner revealed. "There’s been a few small wins here and there, but I still can’t believe I hit the jackpot – I had a feeling it would happen someday!"
As part of his routine, he explained, "When I buy my tickets, I hold them until Sunday morning to check alongside my morning cup of tea."
However, on this particular morning, the Corkonian was in for the surprise of a lifetime. "I was really taken back, it was a real shock to the system," he said.
When asked about his plans for the windfall, his partner quickly chimed in with a laugh, "He can finally take me on honeymoon... after many years of marriage!"
Finally, a lucky duo from Dublin made the short trip to Lotto HQ to collect their prize of €1m which they won after scoring all numbers in the Lotto Plus 1 draw on Wednesday, February 12.
The online player admitted he was unaware that he had become a millionaire after ignoring his emails and phone notifications until he was nudged by his colleagues to log in and check if he was the latest Lotto winner.
"I was sitting behind my co-workers, and my eyes were immediately drawn to the green notification saying, ‘You’ve won €1,000,000’," he recalled. "I just went silent, I didn’t know what to do with myself – it was pure shock".
That evening, he shared the fantastic news with his partner, "I couldn’t find the words to tell her, so I just showed her my phone and the notification. Of course, I had to bring home a bottle of bubbly to celebrate."
Despite the fear of his phone breaking before he could claim the prize, the duo is now planning to use their winnings to pay off their mortgage, enjoy a well-earned holiday in the sun, and perhaps a gleaming new Ferrari.
Meanwhile, Wednesday night's Lotto jackpot is set to roll to an estimated €3.5m. Players dreaming of becoming Ireland’s newest Lotto jackpot winner are reminded that tickets for tonight's draw can be purchased in-store, through the National Lottery app or at http://www.lottery.ie ahead of the 7.45pm cut off.
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