I HAD PREMONITION WE’D SELL A WINNING TICKET... BUT NOTHING LIKE THIS, SAYS OWNER OF SHOP
THE owner of the shop that sold the winning Euromillions ticket, has revealed he had a premonition of a big win.
However, Les Reilly, from the Daybreak shop in Naul, north Co. Dublin, said he never expected to sell the biggest ever lottery ticket in Irish history.
Speaking to the Irish Daily Mail yesterday, Mr Reilly, who will pick up a tidy €25,000 for selling the winning ticket, said: ‘I always felt we would sell big.
‘I felt it, like a premonition, but I never expected this, not in a million years. I am buzzing, I am absolutely buzzing. I found out around 10 or 10.30 this morning.
‘The National Lottery rang me. They said: “Les can you talk?” I said: “Yeah, of course”, and they said: “Congratulations, you sold the biggest ever jackpot in Ireland”.’
Mr Reilly said: ‘For once in my life, I was stuck for words. I haven’t a clue who won it, I haven’t even checked my own ticket. But I did check the shop syndicate. We have 112 people in it, so it wasn’t us. We have only won €138.’
Mr Reilly spent yesterday morning beaming as customers came into his shop throughout the morning to congratulate him.
Customers stayed to indulge in a glass of champagne when Lottery bosses cracked open the bubbly to help Les and his staff to enjoy their staggering win.
Speaking before it emerged that the ticket had been bought by a family syndicate from Co. Meath, Les said he was hoping the winners were local.
‘I am hoping it is local, I am hoping it’s a group of people and spread the love, and spread the happiness and I wish them health and happiness.
‘It is a great buzz for the area. We are a small community; everyone knows each other, everyone looks after each other.
‘I did have a feeling we were going to hit it at some stage but I didn’t think it would be last night, ’ he said.
Carly Reilly Flynn, who is a niece of Les and works in the shop said: ‘It is just brilliant. I work here and it is unreal, the whole thing. I heard about 10 o’clock this morning. My brother rang me. It’s massive news, it’s unbelievable.
‘The locals are thrilled, we are all thrilled for the village. I still can’t take it in.’
She added that they had a €25,000 syndicate win a few years ago. ‘We will be partying for a few days,’ she said.
Meanwhile, Marcella Lindsay, who is a friend of Les’s and lives in Naul said: ‘I found out this morning and I texted Les and I told him that it was seemingly won here, but he couldn’t give any details at that stage.
‘About ten minutes later, he texted me back saying: “We sold it” and we thought: “Oh my God”. It’s unbelievable, I was in the gym and I didn’t expect to see the shop packed so soon.’
She added, ‘I do know who won it, but I can’t say anything about it. It wasn’t me anyway.
‘I don’t know the winners personally. I’d say they were in total shock but it is so great in the town.’
‘It’s a great buzz for the area’