A Kerry family had a €9.7 million winning lotto ticket in a handbag for almost a week before checking it.
The National Lottery says the family syndicate has become the first winner to avail of a new postal claims process, due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
The family had made contact earlier, after their numbers came up in the April 18th draw.
The Quick Pick ticket, which was sold in Daly’s Supervalu store in Killarney, marks Kerry’s largest ever jackpot win, since the introduction of the game in 1988.
The winning family syndicate says the two-month wait to claim the prize turned out to be a positive thing, as it gave them time to consider what to do with the money.
The family says the €9.7 million ticket lay unchecked in a handbag for almost week after the draw, despite they hearing about the huge lotto win at the time.
A member of the syndicate says the ticket was then moved to a drawer, which was frequently opened to recheck the numbers.
The family has no plans presently on what to do with their windfall.
Along with becoming the county’s biggest ever lotto winners, the family is also the first to receive a winning jackpot through the new postal claims service.
