It was a day for celebrating in Lotto HQ with Laois man Kevin Doheny visiting Lotto HQ to pick up his €500,000 EuroMillions Plus top prize which he won in the 14th May draw after purchasing his winning ticket at the Daybreak store in Borris-in-Ossary, Co. Laois.
The Midlands winner admitted that it was a last-minute decision to even buy a ticket for the Tuesday night draw but one that certainly paid off.
“I was sitting there watching the television and something just came over me to go and buy a ticket for the draw that evening. I jumped straight in the car and got my ticket but of course didn’t think anything else of it. I left the ticket in the car and the next day when I was checking the ticket, I was wondering was I in the right car because I thought I just had to be seeing things. I headed straight for the shop where I purchased the ticket, which was Daybreak in Borris-in-Ossary, and they double checked it for me. I think the lady on the counter got some shock too as I’m sure they don’t see these big wins all the time either! She rang the Claims Department for me and the win was confirmed. Talk about a total whirlwind of a morning!”
Kevin, who visited Lotto HQ with a number of his siblings, said it was a challenge getting his family to believe him.
“As soon as I got in the door, I rang my sister who was on holiday in America at the time. I wasn’t even thinking of the time difference as it was 4am for her! She certainly wasn’t expecting a call from me at that time, especially with news like that. I think it probably took her a while to believe me but then as if by perfect timing, a message came into the family Whatsapp group saying that someone in Borris-in-Ossary won big in the draw the night before. Local radio were talking about the shop where the ticket was sold so I suppose everyone was getting excited about a local win. I replied immediately by saying It’s me who won the €500,000. I had to go back into convincing mode then for the rest of them and eventually they all believed me.”
The top prize winner said there has been lots of well wishes from friends and the community but he has no plans as of yet about what to do next, but a family celebration is top of the list. Meanwhile, the countdown is well and truly on for tonight’s EuroMillions Mega Draw which will see a guaranteed €130 million jackpot up for grabs.
If a player in Ireland was to win the massive amount on offer tonight, they will take the title of 18th EuroMillions jackpot winner ever to be seen in Ireland since the game launched here in 2004.
With players all over Ireland dreaming of having a life-changing Friday night, the National Lottery are reminding players that tickets can be purchased in-store, through the National Lottery app or at www.lottery.ie ahead of the 7.30pm cut-off time for sales this evening.
National Lottery spokesperson Sarah Orr said, “Imagine getting your weekend started with a massive €130 million jackpot win! Well for one player, that could be a reality with just a few hours to go until tonight’s EuroMillions draw which has a guaranteed €130 million jackpot on offer. Since the game launched in Ireland, we have seen 17 EuroMillions jackpot winners in Ireland. A potential winner in tonight’s draw would of course join this highly coveted list and take the 18th spot as Ireland’s newest multi-millionaire. We are reminding our players nationwide hoping to be celebrating a big win that tickets can be purchased in-store, through the National Lottery app or at www.lottery.ie ahead of the 7.30pm cut-off time for sales this evening.”
Here is the roll call of the 17 lucky Irish EuroMillions jackpot winners to date:
1. July 2005: Dolores McNamara from Limerick, was Ireland’s first and biggest EuroMillions winner scooping over €115 million.
2. July 2008: A lucky player from Co. Tipperary won a €15 million jackpot with a ticket bought in Carrick-on-Suir in Co. Tipperary.
3. June 2009: A family syndicate shared the jackpot with a British winner, taking home over €29.4 million with a ticket they purchased in Dublin.
4. June 2013: A winning ticket sold in Beaumount, Dublin, shared a EuroMillions jackpot worth over €187 million. A Dublin player earned half of the jackpot and picked up over €93 million.
5. September 2013: A young man from the South East shared a jackpot of over €25 million with a player in Spain, taking home over €12.8 million.
6. April 2014: A jackpot prize worth €15 million was claimed on a ticket sold in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.
7. September 2014: An €86.7 million jackpot was won by a syndicate from Dublin. The ticket was sold in Centra, Ballybrack, Co. Dublin.
8. January 2016: A syndicate of friends won over €66 million, splitting the jackpot of €132,376,632. The ticket was sold in Eason’s store, Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow.
9. July 2016: 22 colleagues from Dublin Bus won the €23.8 million. The ticket was sold in O’Hanlon’s Portarlington.
10. January 2017: A Dublin work syndicate claimed the €88.5 million EuroMillions jackpot. The winning ticket was sold at the Applegreen Service Station on the M1 Northbound in Lusk, Co. Dublin.
11. July 2017: A syndicate from the West of Ireland won a €29 million EuroMillions jackpot. The ticket was sold in Garryduff XL Store on Pound Road, Castlebar in Co. Mayo.
12. December 2017: A small family syndicate from Dublin won €38.9 million on a ticket purchased in The Village Shop in Malahide Shopping Centre
13. June 2018: 32 colleagues from Stakelums Hardware store in Thurles Co. Tipperary share a €17 million EuroMillions jackpot with a ticket they purchased at Eason’s Store in Thurles Shopping Centre in Co. Tipperary.
14. February 2019: The Naul Family Syndicate won €175.4 million on a ticket sold in Reilly’s Daybreak in Naul, Co. Dublin.
15. February 2020: A Co. Mayo family shared the €17 million jackpot with a ticket they purchased at Mulroy’s Londis Store in Castlebar.
16. July 2020: An online player in Dublin won a €49.5 million jackpot which they won with a €2.50 normal play ticket.
17. February 2022: Mid-West ticket holder scoops €30.9 million jackpot with Quick Pick ticket they purchased at Larkin’s Gala Service Station in Ballina, Co. Tipperary.
Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language. In total, more than €6 billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 36 years ago. In 2022 alone, €259.5 million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.
Play National Lottery games responsibly, play for fun.
