Amid job loss announcements, pay cuts and economic crisis €39 million has been quietly (for the most part) paid out by Lottery headquarters in Dublin since January 1st.
More than 30,000 people have joined queues for unemployment assistance since Christmas but there is no such worry for those lucky enough to have scooped the jackpot over the last four weeks.
There were tears of joy in the National Lottery offices today, as Waterford woman Mary Roche picked up €350,000 Lotto Plus winnings.
Talking about her win, Ms Roche said "I scanned the ticket in Tesco, Youghal, where I had bought it, and the shop assistant told me I had a winner. I thought she meant that I had won a scratch card, as I already saw that I matched 3 numbers. When she told me that I had won big money, I just started crying and I was shaking".
On January 17th, a couple from Co Kerry won the biggest Lotto jackpot of the year so far, worth a fantastic when they collected a cheque for €7,790,421. This represents the largest Lotto jackpot win in Co Kerry since the National Lottery began in 1987.
A Tallaght man won the Lotto jackpot last weekend worth €4,237,182 and according to the National Lottery, a season ticket for Arsenal is top of his list of what he is going to treat himself to.
The eight highest Lotto jackpot since the game started in 1988 was collected by a Tipperary couple in November when they scooped €9,169,277. The €16 Multidraw ticket was purchased at Supervalu in Main Street, Cashel, on November 7th.
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