THE manager of a winning National Lottery syndicate from Donegal has revealed how they kept the winning ticket safe by hiding it in the back of a photo frame.
The Donegal syndicate travelled to National Lottery headquarters in Dublin this week to collect their EuroMillions Plus top prize amount worth €500,000 which they won in the September 15 draw.
The winning ticket was purchased at Spar Bridgend on the Buncrana Road in Bridgend.
The syndicate manager, speaking at the Lottery’s Winners Room, admitted that they would not usually check their tickets immediately.
“I’d normally wait until I have a few tickets before checking them all together, but something told me to check this one straight away,” they said.
“I started going through the numbers and when I saw that I had the five, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I showed it to another syndicate member and we just looked at each other in complete disbelief. It was one of those moments where you don’t quite know what to say.
“Then came the challenge of keeping the ticket safe. I was terrified I’d lose it, so I decided the safest place was to hide it in the back of a photo frame. Thankfully it made it safely to the Winners Room.
“We’re still getting our heads around winning €500,000, but there are already a few holidays on the wish list. It’s going to be a fantastic win for us all to enjoy.”
A Galway Lotto player was delighted to pick up their Match 5+Bonus prize worth €88,740 from the September 19 draw. Their winning ticket was purchased at Daybreak Texaco, Swangate, Athenry, Co. Galway.
“I’ve never won anything like this before, so when I realised what had happened, I just sat staring out the window for about half an hour in complete shock.
“I eventually rang my sister and asked her to check the numbers for me because I genuinely couldn’t believe it myself. Everyone in the family is absolutely delighted for me.”
“I found out on Sunday evening and, despite all the excitement, life carried on as normal and I went into work on Monday morning.
“I kept the ticket in my wallet in my trouser pocket the whole time and found myself checking every so often just to make sure it was still there.
“The win is going to make a huge difference. I’d already been planning some renovations at home and this means I can get started much sooner than expected, which I’m delighted about. I’m also looking forward to a nice holiday to celebrate and, a little further down the line, a safari in the Serengeti is definitely on the wish list!”
An online Carlow player scooped the top prize on Instant Win Game, Wordplay Multiplier, worth €40,000.
“I was sitting watching a movie one night and decided to play an Instant Win Game. When the ‘Congratulations’ message appeared, I genuinely couldn’t believe it. I’ve had small wins before, but nothing like this.
“My family didn’t believe me when I told them and I don’t think they will until I arrive home with the cheque. I was so excited about coming in to collect the win that I hardly slept last night!”
“We have our first family holiday coming up, which will be a lovely way to celebrate.”
A Donegal syndicate has collected their Lotto prize.