EuroMillions player realised he could be winner after noticing shop was 'decked out in balloons'
One very lucky Irish EuroMillions player said he realised a life-changing win was his after noticing the shop 'decked out in balloons'.
The punter will likely be celebrating extra hard for the next few weeks after scoring a life-changing €500,000 in the EuroMillions Plus draw.
In true luck of the Irish form, the player only recently started adding the Plus option to his usual Quick Pick. One very lucky Irish EuroMillions player said he realised a life-changing win was his after noticing the shop 'decked out in balloons'. Pic: Getty Images
The all-important ticket was purchased at SuperValu on Main Street, Ratoath, Co Meath.
The Meath player explained: 'I had a few old tickets lying around and decided to get them checked.
'One of them printed a slip telling me to contact the National Lottery. I didn't think much of it until I noticed the shop was decked out in balloons. I was driving home and that's when it hit me, I could be the winner!' The punter will likely be celebrating extra hard for the next few weeks after scoring a life-changing €500,000 in the EuroMillions Plus draw. Pic: Derick P. Hudson/Shutterstock.
The punter pulled over mid-journey to check his numbers online, only to find out that he was indeed the winner of the mega sum.
He said: 'The first thing I did was call my partner. She was completely speechless. We're absolutely over the moon!'
The couple is already planning a dream family holiday to Italy, and the win brings more than just travel plans, with the lucky player adding: 'This means we can secure our family's future, especially with college coming up. It's a dream come true!' In true luck of the Irish form, the player only recently started adding the Plus option to his usual Quick Pick. Pic: Getty Images
Meanwhile, another Meath player claimed his unexpected windfall of an additional €250,000 after his raffle code matched the winning sequence.
The online player, who used personal numbers of significance to play a single line, initially believed he had won €5,000, saying: 'I was truly delighted with that win, I thought to myself, 'Happy days!''.
The real surprise came when he contacted the National Lottery's Prize Claims team and discovered the full extent of his windfall.
He said: 'Unfortunately, the excitement was short-lived. I had to return to work, and it was a busy afternoon – how typical? However, mentally, I was lying on a beach soaking up the sunshine.'
The player added: 'We've always wanted to go to California, and I've already an itinerary drafted. My car also sounds like a wooden ship, and the dash is lit up like a Christmas tree, so a new car is undoubtedly on the cards.'
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