Lucky 16 syndicate in no rush to collect record €18.9m Lotto jackpot

THE 16 members of the syndicate that won the largest Lotto jackpot in the history of the game will "take their time" about travelling to Dublin to collect their prize.

The winners, employees of Dan Morrissey's cement firm in Bennekerry, Co Carlow, had been playing the Lotto for seven years when their numbers came up on a €32 Quickpick-plus in Saturday night's draw.

The prize they share is worth €18,963,441 - or €1,185,213 each.

The ticket was bought on Wednesday at Hickson's Centra supermarket on the Staplestown Road.

National Lottery spokeswoman Paula McEvoy said the syndicate had been in touch yesterday afternoon and the lottery was satisfied they held the winning ticket.

"Some of them are away or on holidays and so they said they would be back in touch when they were all together. They'll keep the ticket safe and they said they'd be back in touch," she said.

"They'll take their time. They know the prize is there for them and when they are ready we'll make sure to make arrangements for a good day to remember."

One member of the syndicate, John Doyle, said there had been a few wins over the seven years they had been playing.

"There were 50s and 100s and that but this is the big one." Speaking on RTÉ radio he said he found out he had a share in the biggest jackpot in Lotto history at 4pm on Sunday.

"Ah, it was disbelief. We didn't believe it. I'd say it was 8 or 9 o'clock yesterday evening before we . . . oh, it's disbelief really, still even."

He said he was glad the jackpot was being shared among a large group.

"It's brilliant and I can't believe it's so big when we did win it." He said he had a "good" lifestyle but that it was going to get better.

"We'll have to sit down anyway and see what we're going to do." He had five grown children, he said, and that they'd each be entitled to "a few bob". One of his sons is also a member of the syndicate.

An employee at the cement factory for 30 years, Mr Doyle said he had not gone to work yesterday.