Winning lottery ticket was hidden in kitchen drawer

A LOTTO syndicate from Limerick collected a €40,215 cash bonanza from lottery headquarters after it won a Match...

A LOTTO syndicate from Limerick collected a €40,215 cash bonanza from lottery headquarters after it won a Match 5 and Bonus prize in the national Lotto draw on September 5 last. And the ticket was hidden almost in plain sight until the cash was claimed.

The winning ticket was purchased at SuperValu Castletroy Shopping Centre.

Lotto chiefs said that syndicate manager opted for a surprisingly simple hiding solution until the claim could be made.

“The ticket was kept under the cutlery tray in a kitchen drawer. It might not sound glamorous, but it did the job,” they revealed.

With the prize now claimed, the syndicate members said they were looking ahead to a mix of practical projects and well-earned treats.

“Home renovations are top of the list, along with a few sun holidays. It’s a fantastic boost for everyone involved and something we’ll all enjoy,” they said.

Meanwhile, another Mid West Lotto Plus player claimed €1million in a special Guaranteed Millionaire event in the Lotto Plus draw on the same night.

The winning ticket was purchased at Spar Lisdoonvarna, County Clare, on the day of the draw, the same weekend as the famous Lisdoonvarna match making festival.

The player said they unknowingly carried the ticket around with them for some time and “never thought to check my ticket”.

“I’d been driving around with it all the time without realising it was worth €1million,” they added.

When the ticket was eventually checked, the news came as a “huge shock” and the winner immediately shared the discovery with family and loved ones, adding, “there were tears of joy”.

Speaking at National Lottery headquarters while collecting the prize, the Clare player said that while they had no immediate plans to make any dramatic changes, holidays were high on their wishlist, while a dream home is now also firmly in their sights.

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, €7billion has been raised since the National Lottery was established 39 years ago.

In 2024 alone, €239.3million was raised for local causes in communities across Ireland.