Latest news with #Euromillion
Metro
18 hours ago
- Business
- Metro
Is luck of the Irish real? How locals have reacted to huge £208,000,000 win
It took only a few minutes walking through Dublin to find someone who had won a fair few Euros in the lottery. After the huge £208,000,000 jackpot was claimed by someone in Co Cork Metro went to find out if the 'luck of the Irish' was a real thing and if people believed in it. The phrase originated in 19th-century America during the Gold Rush, where many successful miners were Irish immigrants, yet their fortunes were often attributed to luck rather than perseverance and skill. Strolling through the Irish capital was Amanda Walsh, 45, who said she has been awarded 1,500 euros 'at least twice' on the lottery after picking three correct numbers. Shrugging as if it is the most normal thing in the world, she said: 'When I go into the betting shop I usually come out having won something. 'But that's just luck of the Irish.' And it is hard to disagree. Ireland is home to 18 Euromillion jackpot winners with one person this week already beating the 1 in 139,838,160 odds. Hearing about the country's latest EuroMillions win seems to have surprised no one. The sunny weather has brought everyone to a small market in the heart of Dublin, next to a number of betting shops. Stall holder Amanda, winking, told Metro: 'You should go in there when you get a free moment. I bet you'll get lucky.' But the luck isn't all about money – just being in the country is more than enough for those who have come from further afield. Tejol Lahane, 25, from India, said the Irish are some of the happiest people she has ever met. She said: 'We are lucky because we are in the safest country possible to be in. The economy is up, people are in good spirits, and people are enjoying buying tickets!' As Metro chatted to local we quickly found out everyone had their own lucky moment they were desperate to share. Amanda said she has had more than her share after being able to 'bring herself out of abuse and addiction'. She said: 'If I won the lottery, I would just want to be able to help people escape the situation I was in.' Rakesh Bolle, 25, who is originally from India, said he counts himself in possession of Irish luck ever since he was granted his Visa. He said: 'Back home, hardly any of my friends got their Visas to come and study here – but I did. I am truly one of the lucky ones.' Musician Matthew John Lennon, 43, who insisted he is not actually related to the Beatles legend, said he knows the Irish are lucky, but he's not bothered about buying a ticket. He said: 'I already consider myself lucky in life. I love music, I have a great family, what more can I need.' Phyllis Tynan, 74, said she is still waiting for her 'lucky moment' but knows it is coming. But when asked why it was the Irish were so lucky, she put it down to all the leprechauns. 'They are everywhere, of course we have it a lot,' she laughed. Even lottery officials themselves admit the Irish have shown a lucky streak after the latest win. Andy Carter, Senior Winner's Advisor at the National Lottery, told Metro: 'There's definitely a bit of the luck of the Irish involved in this win. 'The highest win in the UK in comparison was £195 million. There's a 76 million to one chance of winning the EuroMillions and following the sequence of rollovers this is amazing luck for them.' Sisters Noleen Kearny and Veronica Daly, 60 and 62 respectively, said they've already won the lottery living in the capital. Veronica told Metro: 'It is a privilege to be born Irish, and an honour to be born in Dublin.' Here are the winners to date: July 2005: Dolores McNamara from Limerick, was Ireland's first and biggest EuroMillions winner scooping over €115 Million July 2008: A player from Co. Tipperary won a €15 Million Jackpot with a ticket bought in Carrick-on-Suir June 2009: A family syndicate shared the Jackpot with a British winner, taking home over €29.4 Million with a ticket purchased in Dublin June 2013: A Dublin player earned half of the €187 Million Jackpot and picked up over €93 Million September 2013: A man from the South East shared a jackpot of over €25 Million with a player in Spain April 2014: €15 Million was claimed on a ticket sold in Castlebar, Co. Mayo September 2014: €86.7 Million Jackpot was won by a syndicate from Dublin from a ticket sold in Centra, Ballybrack, Co. Dublin January 2016: A syndicate of friends won over €66 Million, splitting the Jackpot of €132,376,632. The ticket was sold in Eason's store, Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Carlow July 2016: 22 colleagues from Dublin Bus won the €23.8 Million. The ticket was sold in O'Hanlon's Portarlington January 2017: A Dublin work syndicate claimed the €88.5 Million EuroMillions Jackpot. The winning ticket was sold at the Applegreen Service Station on the M1 Northbound in Lusk, Co. Dublin. July 2017: A syndicate from the West of Ireland won a €29 Million EuroMillions jackpot. The ticket was sold in Garryduff XL Store on Pound Road, Castlebar in Co. Mayo. December 2017: A small family syndicate from Dublin won €38.9 Million on a ticket purchased in The Village Shop in Malahide Shopping Centre June 2018: 32 colleagues from Stakelums Hardware store in Thurles Co. Tipperary share a €17 Million EuroMillions Jackpot with a ticket they purchased at Eason's Store in Thurles Shopping Centre in Co. Tipperary. February 2019: A family syndicate from Nail won €175.4 Million on a ticket sold in Reilly's Daybreak February 2020: A Co. Mayo family shared the €17 Million Jackpot with a ticket they purchased at Mulroy's Londis Store in Castlebar July 2020: An online player in Dublin won a €49.5 Million Jackpot which they won with a €2.50 normal play ticket February 2022: Mid-West ticket holder scoops €30.9 Million Jackpot with Quick Pick ticket they purchased at Larkin's Gala Service Station in Ballina, Co. Tipperary Sitting, drinking tea in front of their flower stand, the pair insisted they wouldn't even bother telling their children they had won the money if it came to it. 'Money is the root of all evil,' Noleen said. 'The money needs to go to charity. I would send food into Gaza, and help Ireland's homeless.' The pair said they had an unlucky start in life after their mother died when they were only young. When their father was offered a blank cheque to help raise the girls, he turned it down saying everything he needed 'was now six feet under'. Veronica said: 'He taught us the luck you have in life is if you can make your own happiness.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Someone has come forward to claim £208,000,000 Euromillions lottery win MORE: Biker dad will retire and buy wife a hot tub after £3,900,000 Lottery win MORE: EuroMillions players urged to check tickets with £208,000,000 jackpot unclaimed
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Lucky Irish ticket holder has WON Euromillions' biggest ever prize of £208m… check your tickets NOW
Players have been urged to check their tickets for the magic numbers WINNER WINNER Lucky Irish ticket holder has WON Euromillions' biggest ever prize of £208m… check your tickets NOW Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A LUCKY Irish ticket holder has won Euromillion's biggest ever prize of £208million. Tonight's National Lottery EuroMillions winning numbers are: 13, 22, 23, 44, 49 and the Lucky Stars are: 03, 05. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The EuroMillions jackpot has been capped at £208 million 2 The winning numbers have been revealed Credit: Getty Anticipation was brewing after the jackpot rolled over again last week. But the record-setting EuroMillions lottery prize has now been scooped by one lucky winner based in Ireland tonight. The UK Millionaire Maker Selection winner is: XPCD66044. Meanwhile, tonight's National Lottery Thunderball winning numbers are: 02, 06, 12, 17, 39 and the Thunderball is 07. The EuroMillions prize pot is capped at €250M, with players having five prize draws to win the life-changing amount. In the meantime, players are reminded to check their tickets in case they are eligible to win a smaller chunk of the prize money. Every EuroMillions ticket also bags you an automatic entry into the UK Millionaire Maker, which guarantees at least one player will pocket £1million in every draw. You can find out if you're a winner by checking your ticket against tonight's numbers. During the final draw, if no one matches all five numbers and two lucky stars, the threshold to win will drop to five numbers and one star. The prize money could then be split between multiple winners, making several millionaires. I won £1million Euromillions prize but I thought I'd got nothing when call handler put me on hold - my heart SANK Already this month, seven UK players have won a portion of the prize money after matching five numbers and one lucky star. Five players won £3.6 million each on June 13, while another won £4.5 million on June 10, and another £2 million on June 6. Even winning smaller portions of the prize pot can be life-changing. Winners of over £10 million give away, on average, a quarter of their win (24.5%). A further 91% report that they give time and or money to support a charity, while 10% say they have made someone else a millionaire. Winning a prize like this could bring financial security and give you more free time to spend with family or enjoying hobbies, as 97% of winners say they are as happy or happier than before their win. With such a big prize draw, winners could donate a quarter to charity and still have plenty spare. They could even buy their own island, with Hummingbird Cay in the Bahamas currently being sold for £26 million - it also has space to moor your luxury yacht. The National Lottery provide a concierge service called 'The Fixer' to help winners fulfil their dreams - as requests including purchasing designer handbags, family world cruises, and VIP sports tickets. The first EuroMillions draw took place on February 7, 2004, by three organisations: France's Française des Jeux, Loterías y Apuestas del Estado in Spain and the Camelot in the UK. One of the UK's biggest prizes was up for grabs on December, 4, 2020 with a whopping £175million EuroMillions jackpot, which would make a winner richer than Adele. Another previous UK winner who's whole life was altered with their jackpot was a player who wanted to remain anonymous on October 8, 2019. They walked off with a cool £170,221,000.
