Former Sligo Mayor Matt Lyons sold winning Lotto ticket

Fine Gael may not be on a winning streak, but party member and former Mayor of Sligo, Matt Lyons, is feeling lucky after selling the €8.2 million winning lotto ticket – his second jackpot winner in six years.

The well-known former councillor confirmed his shop “Shop & Stop” sold the winning ticket on Saturday.

Now he is wondering whether it is a Sligo Rovers fan who will no longer be feeling too downhearted at last night’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of Shamrock Rovers.

“We were very busy yesterday ,” said Matt who described the jackpot as “serious money”.

“Sligo Rovers were playing in the Showgrounds. We also had a stag party in and a lot of them bought tickets”.

The former councillor sold a €4m winning ticket in December 2009 but he says this is the biggest Lotto win so far in Sligo.

“I did not win unfortunately – I would be very happy if I did”, he said. As a stream of well wishers called to the busy newsagents he explained the shop caters for a mix of local and passing trade.

“On Saturdays we tend to get a lot of visitors, especially if there is something on in town. There was a big crowd in for the Sligo Rovers match. During the week we tend to get more locals and people who work on the street,” he said.

He said a €20 splurge was not that unusual when the jackpot is so big. “When it gets up to €5m a lot of people would spend that.”

Mr Lyons revealed when he sold the winning €4m ticket in 2009 his son guessed who it was and the new millionaire confirmed his good fortune. “It didn’t change him at all. He kept coming in playing Lotto. He never went public so I can’t say who it was.”

Mr Lyons is hoping yesterday’s winner is from Sligo – or at least not a Shamrock Rovers fan.

“I have no idea who it was. It was just so busy in the shop yesterday.We had hundreds in. But we have the champagne on ice,” he said.

The winning numbers in Saturday’s draw were 2, 8, 16, 24, 33 and 42. The bonus number was 47.