The Irish Lottery has been around since 1987 and it continues to run twice weekly – with draws on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Much like other Lotteries, for many it’s a tradition, but gone are the days that hopefuls run to the corner shop to get their tickets, before later crowding around the TV to hear the results. Players can now get their fix online, receiving the draw via text or email. Online betting operators also offer the chance to bet on the outcome, for example Irish Lotto online at Paddy Power. Here, players can choose the numbers they think will be drawn, with the chance to win up to 130,000x their stake by correctly guessing all five numbers – life-changing sums, similar to lottery wins. Read on as we share some of the biggest winners of the Irish lottery.
- Gold Rush for quarry workers
The biggest prize win came back in June 2008, when a collective group of workers bagged a cool €18.9 million between them. The record-breaking amount was won by a syndicate of 16, who all worked at a quarry in County Carlow. The group consisted of 15 men and one woman, but it was a family affair, with a father and daughter, and two sets of brothers among the lucky winners. The group had purchased a Quick Pick at just €32 – and were happy to share the winnings at just over €1.1 million per person, claiming the overall amount was “too much for one person”. Remarkably, a handful of the winners returned to work the next day, and we imagine this caused rocky times for the site manager!
2. Mr or Mrs Anonymous wins big
Two years on from the record-breaking win, the second biggest amount was won – this time by an individual, rather than a syndicate. There are no details about the winner, who understandably remained anonymous. But they purchased their ticket at an Eason’s store in Dungarvan, County Waterford and received an eye-watering €16.7 million. A spokesperson for the National Lottery claimed that the winning ticket was a €6 Quick Pick and that two million tickets were sold for the draw. The owner of the shop also remarked it “couldn’t have happened to a nicer person”. In a town with a population of around 10,000, it can’t have been too hard to find the person with a brand-new yacht moored in the harbour!
3. 400th millionaire remains anonymous
2010 was a good year for the Irish Lottery, in addition to the above winner in April, the third-biggest jackpot was won in October – and the man in question became the National Lottery’s 400th millionaire. Scooping an incredible €16.3 million, the Dubliner didn’t reveal too many details about himself. All that is known is that he purchased the €30 Quick Pick ticket from the Donnybrook Fair supermarket, but chose the numbers himself. He said he’d share the money with his family, before also revealing “I don’t play Lotto every week; however, I’m more likely to play when the jackpot is a big amount.”
4. Holidays aplenty for family from County Mayo
Again, these lucky winners decided to remain anonymous – and who could blame them, we’d definitely do the same if we won big bucks. The winners of €13.7 million in January 2016 were regular players of the Lottery – but instead of choosing their usual favoured family numbers, they purchased a €10 Quick Pick. The husband of the house revealed: “Obviously, we want to help family with mortgages and bills and what have you. And I want to go the Euro finals in France later this year, so now I can afford to do that”. The shop in question that they bought their winning ticket from, Careys in Belmullet, is said to have sold over €30 million in winning lines – making this family-run shop just as lucky as the County Mayo winners.
