'No way that ticket was going missing' - €5.4m jackpot syndicate kept ticket in unusual spot

As snowy and icy conditions grip Ireland in a wintry embrace, the cold has not stopped the heat of excitement as the winners of Saturday’s draw claimed their jackpot worth a whopping €5.4 million.

The syndicate from snowy Mayo claimed the Lotto jackpot worth an astonishing €5,419,866 on Saturday, December 28’s Lotto draw. The syndicate purchased the winning ticket in Carey’s Newsagents in Belmullet, Co. Mayo and became the 11th Lotto Jackpot winner of 2024.

“We were all together on the night of the draw having a Christmas get together, when we discovered we had won,” said one member of the syndicate

“As you can imagine, there was great excitement on the night, and it has still yet to sink in.” 

Asked about where the ticket has been kept while waiting to claim their prize, one member said: “The ticket has been kept in a magazine, in an envelope under a mattress – there was no way that ticket was going missing!”

Elsewhere, while the snow and ice may have slowed the country down, it hasn’t dampened the spirits of one Meath couple who claimed €500,000 on the EuroMillions Plus draw on a Quick Pick ticket purchased at Supervalu, Ratoath, Co. Meath from Friday, January 3rd’s draw.  

Speaking to National Lottery, they said: “We saw the news online, that a ticket had been won in Supervalu in Ratoath – We thought to ourselves, we bought our ticket there – maybe it was us? 

“We immediately checked the ticket online, and sure enough it was us!”  

Asked how they celebrated, he said: “I went back to the Supervalu to buy champagne – I couldn’t help myself. The person serving me said, ‘Did you hear we sold the winning EuroMillions ticket?’ I had to smile but didn’t tell them it was me!”.  

Asked how they intended to use their winnings, they said: “This is truly a life-changing sum of money for us, and we could not be more thrilled. This means we can clear off our mortgage and finally spend our salaries on us! 

“We have family in Australia that we’ll go visit and enroute we’ll stopover in Thailand, somewhere we have always wanted to go, and spend some time there”.   

A Dublin man also claimed his fantastic top prize of €200,000 on an All Cash Spectacular scratch card purchased in Spar, Ballyfermot, Dublin 16.  

Speaking to the National Lottery, he said: “At first, I thought I had won €20,000. I was delighted, and I passed the card to my son to double check it for me. Immediately he said, ‘Dad you didn’t win €20,000 – you’ve won €200,000!’  

National Lottery spokesperson Darragh O’Dwyer said: “As the country braces the Arctic chill, these remarkable wins have given us all a reason to celebrate. There’s nothing quite like a life-changing prize to bring joy to our winners on a frosty day like today.”