A family syndicate from Co. Kerry have claimed their near €10m Lotto winnings after a two month wait due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The family revealed that their ticket for the €9,772,175 jackpot had been lying in a bag unchecked for almost a week.
The winning Quick Pick ticket was bought at Daly's Supervalu in Killarney, Co. Kerry and is the largest jackpot win in the county ever.
One syndicate member said: "…we heard of the big Lotto win in Kerry but never entertained the thought that it could be us sure we never win! A few days passed and I was checking my ticket for the following Wednesday's draw when I spotted the ticket in my handbag.
"It dawned on me that I forgot to check Saturday's numbers. It was such a surreal moment when you realise you have won. Without even thinking about it I just started hopping all over the living room in delight. It's so funny to think I was walking around with the winning ticket in my bag for almost a week!
"We kept the ticket safe in a drawer at home but found ourselves checking the numbers frequently. It certainly took a while for the news to sink in… We actually won the Lotto!"
The family were the first Lotto jackpot winners to avail of a new postal claims process following rigorous verification checks.
They said they have no plans as of yet on what to do with their windfall and will take their time to plan how they will spend their €9.7 million fortune.
