'Guess what, I won the Lotto!' Limerick player collects jackpot prize

The online player, who wished to remain anonymous, said they are still in shock.

A Limerick Lotto winner who claimed an €8.5m jackpot prize has said they still can’t believe their luck.

The winner, who won the January 27 jackpot, officially picked up the prize today.

The online player, who wished to remain anonymous, said they are still in shock.

“When I checked the email, I thought to myself that this can’t be right,” said the winner.

“I was expecting it to be a €3 or a €6 win – not €8.5 million! I had to go out of the email and then back into it to make sure it was real before I checked the results over and over again.

“I still can’t believe it.” 

The player said the any spending will be centred on the family.

“Once I found out that I had won the jackpot, I picked up the phone to let my family know but I didn’t know what to say.

“It was a surreal moment so I just blurted out, ‘Guess what, I won the Lotto!’ I still don’t think they believe me.

“With social distancing, we haven’t been able to celebrate this incredible life-changing win. While it is such a mind-blowing sum of money, I won’t be getting carried away by going on any spending sprees just yet.

"I’m going to keep my head down for the next couple of months and pay off some bills and of course look after family.

When the dust settles on Covid and we all have our vaccines, we will definitely be going on a big holiday”.

That winner wasn’t the only Munster millionaire left smiling.

A family in Kerry has received a €1m cheque after winning the Lotto Plus 1 top prize on Wednesday, December 23.

The winning Quick Pick ticket at Whyte’s Centra store in Castleisland in Kerry and was won by a family syndicate.

They took some time out over Christmas to let their massive win sink in and they plan to pay off their mortgage and other bills with their prize.