Will Ireland Have Another Big EuroMillions Win As Jackpot Hits €160 Million?
Last Updated: Tuesday 27th September 2022, 09:15 am
EuroMillions fans all over Ireland will be hoping they can snap up Friday’s €160 million jackpot and follow in the footsteps of the Dublin family syndicate that won in February the last time the top prize grew so high.
The jackpot has been rising quickly since it was last won on Friday 19th July, despite the best efforts of players from all nine participating countries. A Dubliner came close to winning last Friday, netting €287,720 after matching all five main numbers but just one of the Lucky Stars. The Quick Pick ticket, sold in the Centra store in the Point Campus on Mayor Street Upper, Co Dublin, was just one number away from landing a top prize worth €139 million.
The top prize now stands as one of the largest to have ever been seen on EuroMillions, but Irish players have traditionally enjoyed a lot of luck when the jackpot has gone up and up. When €175 million was up for grabs on Tuesday 19th February, it was not a ticket from the UK, France or Spain that matched all the numbers, but one sold in The Naul, Co Dublin.
Following a couple of days of excitement and speculation, it emerged that the lucky entry belonged to a family group. One of the winners revealed that she had hidden the ticket in an Argos catalogue and stowed it under her mattress on the night they won, before they deposited it with lottery officials for safekeeping.
The win in February set a new record for the largest payout in the history of the Irish National Lottery, eclipsing the long-standing mark set by Dolores McNamara in 2005. McNamara, from Limerick, was the biggest EuroMillions winner from any country at the time of her win.
Half of another huge jackpot went to Ireland in 2013, when a ticket holder from the Emerald Isle shared €187 million with a participant from Belgium. The winner opted for anonymity, as you have the choice when you claim a prize whether to go public or stay private. Find out more about Ireland’s biggest winners.
Claiming EuroMillions Prizes
If you do win, you must come forward to claim your prize within 90 days of the draw taking place. This deadline is the same whether you land the jackpot or the smallest prize, and you will not be entitled to receive your winnings if you submit a claim a day later.
Even if you don’t pocket Friday’s EuroMillions jackpot, there are 12 other ways to win prizes. You also receive automatic entry into the Ireland Only Raffle, which guarantees 10 prizes of €5,000 in every draw. EuroMillions Plus is also available for an additional €1 per play, giving your five main numbers another chance to win up to €500,000.
