Lucky Laois family syndicate collects National Lottery win
“We were just passing by” lucky Laois family scoop nearly €390,000 in National Lottery draw
A lucky Laois family syndicate who bought their Lotto ticket on the spur of the moment in Portlaoise, have collected their winnings, a cool €389,066.
The family who wish to remain anonymous are planning a proper celebration after a nervous few weeks’ wait to cash in.
The group spoke from the National Lottery’s Winners Room in Dublin as they collected their biggest prize to date after 10 years of playing together.
The family matched five numbers and the bonus in the Lotto draw on Saturday, June 6.
Their winning ticket was purchased at SuperValu Portlaoise, Unit 1, Parkside, Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, and the syndicate said the win came as a huge surprise.
“We were just passing by, and it wouldn’t be a shop we would normally buy our tickets in. A couple of days later, we heard that there was in a win in the store so that made us check the ticket. When it was scanned in store, we were handed a slip telling us to contact the National Lottery. That was when the nerves really started,” one said.
The ticketholder admitted that the journey home felt longer than ever, with traffic adding to the excitement and suspense.
“We couldn’t get home quick enough. Of course, we got stuck in traffic, which only added to the stress. I couldn’t get rid of the ticket quick enough knowing how much it was now worth!”
Another family member was quickly appointed as the official “ticket-minder” while the group waited for the win to be confirmed.
After checking the numbers at home and contacting the National Lottery Prize Claims team, the syndicate said it still took time for the news to sink in.
“Even after calling the team and waiting for Claims to confirm it, we still didn’t fully believe it. We had a small celebration, but we were waiting until we had the cheque in our hands before we properly celebrate!”
The family syndicate said the prize comes at a lovely time, with several family milestones coming up in the months ahead.
While they are still deciding how best to enjoy the win, home improvements are already being considered, with one member joking that air conditioning might be top of the list after the recent hot weather.
Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts, heritage and the Irish Language. In total, €7 billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 39 years ago. In 2024 alone, €239.3 million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland.