If you’re not in, you can still win

Lotto syndicates all over the country watched in amazement yesterday as a High Court judge ruled in favour of a man who claimed a one-fifth share of a €2m Lotto prize — despite the man having failed to pay any money towards the lotto tickets for nine months.

Martin Horan, aged 38, was refused a share of the winnings by his fellow syndicate members, who claimed he was in arrears and had been removed from the group.

Syndicate organiser Seamus O'Brien claimed Mr Horan told him to "f**k off" when he sought £72 arrears from him prior to their winning the €2m lotto. As a result he had been removed from the syndicate. Mr Horan claimed he had paid the arrears, which he estimated at £27. Mr Horan, of Carragown, Bhola, Castlebar, claimed he had always paid in lump sums and had never been removed from the syndicate.