‘Shelley’s Ten’ Syndicate Scoops Over €60,000 In Irish Lotto
Last Updated: Tuesday 27th September 2022, 09:52 am
It has been revealed ten supermarket workers at Hurley’s SuperValu in Midleton, Co. Cork, were the syndicate winners of over €60,000 in the Irish Lotto draw on Wednesday 16th May. The ten-strong group, known as ‘Shelley’s Ten’, matched five numbers and the Bonus Ball to scoop the five-figure windfall.
Second Success for SuperValu
The ten SuperValu employees have only been playing syndicates together for 18 draws over nine weeks, but that has already paid off after their numbers 5, 10, 14, 22, 25 and 31 were drawn alongside the Bonus Ball 15. They won €42,271 in the main draw and also became the sixth winners of a €20,000 Lotto May Getaway luxury holiday.
‘Shelley’s Ten’ have said they were inspired to set up their own syndicate after ten other colleagues at their supermarket won over €219,000 after forming their own Lotto syndicate. The ‘Cheque-Out Girls’ pocketed almost €22,000 each after matching five numbers and the Bonus Ball in the draw on Saturday 17th March. The supermarket has now been dubbed one of the luckiest places to work in Ireland after the second win for staff in the space of two months.
Like ‘Shelley’s Ten’, the ‘Cheque-Out Girls’ - aged between 25 and 50 years of age - also bought their winning syndicate ticket from Midleton’s SuperValu, and had been playing Lotto syndicates together for the past 12 years. They announced plans for holidays, new kitchens, new bathrooms and weddings, and these are decisions the latest winners will now have to make.
Some Syndicate Members Have Already Collected Winnings
Three members of the syndicate - Michelle Smiddy, Karen Sisk and Donatas Tarozas - have already collected their winnings from the National Lottery headquarters in Dublin. It was SuperValu Scanning Office Manager Smiddy’s decision to create the syndicate – hence the name ‘Shelley’s Ten’.
She said: “It’s just mental. Our manager got the call to say we had sold the winning ticket so when I heard I thought that could be us. I checked the ticket using the National Lottery app and the message said to contact the National Lottery claims team. The shop staff just cannot believe it. What are the odds of lightning striking twice here?”
She added: “We were delighted that the other girls won and there was an amazing atmosphere in work for the week they won. I just thought that I want to be in on that so I got 10 people together and started playing from the next draw. I never expected to get a big win so early.”
