Ireland

Euromillions jackpot winners make contact about €88m prize

The winners of an €88 million EuroMillions jackpot in the Republic have contacted the National Lottery
The winners of an €88 million EuroMillions jackpot in the Republic have contacted the National Lottery The winners of an €88 million EuroMillions jackpot in the Republic have contacted the National Lottery

THE winners of an €88 million EuroMillions jackpot in the Republic have made contact about collecting their prize.

Amid rumours that a syndicate had scooped the massive prize, lottery chiefs confirmed more than one person was behind the winning ticket.

"The National Lottery can confirm that the ticket holders have been in touch to make arrangements to collect their prize money," they said.

They have not decided if they will go public with their win.

The lottery will confirm in the coming days where the ticket was bought, as speculation on social media centred on a group of workers in Cork.

It will be about a week before the winners can get their hands on the prize, as the eight other countries where the game is played have to transfer the funds.

Dermot Griffin, chief executive of the National Lottery in Ireland, said the winner should sign their ticket and it can be kept safe in the lottery headquarters.

"It will be next week before they get the money, but if they go to their bank manager they'd be in line for a loan," he said.

The Republic has a good record of EuroMillions winners.

The biggest winner was Limerick woman Dolores McNamara who scooped €115m in 2005, while other cheques have been written for €94m, €87m and €66m.