Woman tells of joy at hitting jackpot
A WOMAN who was part of a syndicate which won a €9.7million Lotto jackpot unwittingly walked around with her ticket for a week.
The Co Kerry family came forward yesterday to claim the monster prize – two months after the draw.
The woman purchased the ticket on April 18 but left it unchecked in her handbag for days.
She said: “Of course we heard of the big Lotto win in Kerry but never entertained the thought that it could be us – sure we never win.
“A few days passed and I was checking my ticket for the following Wednesday’s draw when I spotted the ticket in my handbag. It dawned on me that I forgot to check Saturday’s numbers. It was such a surreal moment when you realise you have won.
“Without even thinking about
Supervalu in Killarney
it I just started hopping all over the living room in delight.
“It’s so funny to think I was walking around with the winning ticket in my bag for almost a week.”
The Quickpick ticket, worth €9,772,175, was bought at Daly’s Supervalu in Killarney – which also sold a Euromillions Plus winning ticket just days earlier. The lucky woman added: “We kept the ticket safe in a drawer at home but found ourselves checking the numbers frequently.
“It certainly took a while for the news to sink in – we actually won the Lotto.”
A spokesman for the National Lottery said yesterday: “What an amazing story and it really goes to show the importance of checking your National Lottery tickets as soon as you can as our Kerry winners amazingly had a ticket worth €9.7million in their bag without knowing.
“We are absolutely delighted for this family and wish them the very best for the future.”