A Co Wicklow man who scooped €11.2 million in the Lotto last month has said he bought the winning ticket with the change from buying a chicken fillet roll with a €10 note he received as a tip.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, was in National Lottery headquarters on Monday to collect the winnings on behalf of his family syndicate. The family became the 15th largest Lotto winners since the game began in 1988.
The man described how he stopped at the Spar Service Station on Monastery Road in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, to pick up a chicken fillet roll with a €10 note he received as a tip from a customer at work.
“I was at work that morning and a happy customer gave me a €10 tip so I decided to pop into the Spar garage to get myself a chicken fillet roll for my lunch and with the change, I got myself a Lotto Quick Pick,” he said.
“It was a simple act of kindness from a customer which led my family to a win of a lifetime. It’s something I will always be grateful for.”
Despite the win, the man said the family would stay grounded, stay in their current family home, and continue to work as normal.
‘Life-changing’
“We’re just a normal family and while the win is life-changing, it really won’t change us all that much,” he said. “We have no intention of giving up work just yet and we’re currently making some plans to renovate the house.
“You always think that you’re going to go mad and lose the run of yourself when you win the Lotto but at the top of our shopping list at the moment is a new dishwasher and a new oven.”
Despite winning the €11,225,280 on August 21st, it was another two days until the family checked their ticket.
“I was sitting in the car eating my lunch on the following Friday while I was reading the paper and I overheard a conversation on the radio about the Lotto win in Enniskerry,” he said.
“My heart absolutely jumped out of my chest because I knew that’s where I bought my ticket. I pulled my ticket out of my wallet and checked the numbers on the paper. I was absolutely speechless. I just sat there in silence.
“It was such a magical feeling, knowing that you’ve just won a life-changing sum of money as easy as that.
“No matter how much you dream about winning the Lotto, you’re never quite prepared for it when it actually happens. We’ve been getting some sound financial and legal advice to ensure we are best prepared for the next couple of months.”
