'The first thing I’m planning is a trip to New York – I can’t wait!'
Westmeath winner of €2,000 a month for five years collects prize
“The first thing I’m planning is a trip to New York – I can’t wait!”
That’s what the Westmeath woman said when she visited the National Lottery Winners Room to collect her EuroDreams Tier 2 prize worth €2,000 per month for five years that she won in the December 1 draw.
She said: “After that, my ultimate big dream is to go to Australia, and I would absolutely love to go on a safari. And of course, to travel there by first class – arriving in style would definitely get the holiday off to a great start!”
Other winners who have just collected their prizes are the Dublin man, who won €1,000,500 in December Lotto draw, and a Dublin woman who won €100,000 in the National Lottery’s Millionaire Raffle
The Dublin man won his prize in the special Lotto Plus Raffle on Saturday December 20. He bought his ticket at the Spar store at Unit 62-65 on Mountjoy Street in Dublin 7. He admitted that he was still pinching himself as it was only by chance that he got a ticket when and where he did.
“Talk about a major sliding doors moment! I just happened to be working in the area that day when I popped into the Spar shop to purchase my ticket, but I almost wasn’t there at all – thank goodness those plans didn’t change.
“I am not afraid to admit there were tears when I checked my ticket that night. I felt all the emotions and was absolutely shaking. Never in a million years did I think I’d win something like that! My wife was out and when she came home, I think she got the fright of her life that something bad had happened when she saw me.”
“I put the ticket in a pair of old trousers hanging in my wardrobe for safe-keeping – no one would be looking there! First thing I’ll do is buy a car and then I am looking forward to treating family.”
The Dublin woman bought her ticket online as a Christmas treat for herself: “I was having my morning coffee when I remembered to check my account, and the message popped up ‘You’ve won big’! I couldn’t believe it! I didn’t have my glasses on, so I handed my phone to my partner. He looked at me and said, ‘€100,000!’ I was in total shock, then disbelief, and finally pure excitement. We were absolutely buzzing!”
She said a holiday was already booked and in the diary before she collected her cheque, and now she plans to put her windfall towards buying a new family home in the future.
The Westmeath woman purchased her ticket at Monksland Service Station in Baylough, Athlone.