A couple from Kerry have revealed the heart-stopping moment they almost lost a winning EuroMillions Plus ticket worth half a million euros, just hours after discovering their life-changing fortune. The dramatic story unfolded after they purchased the lucky ticket during a visit to Cork city.
The Moment of Discovery
The winning €500,000 ticket was bought at Con's Shop on the northside of Cork city on January 27th, the day of the EuroMillions Plus draw. The Kerry woman, who was visiting family in the area, made the purchase on a whim. Later that evening, she scanned the ticket using the National Lottery app and received the thrilling message: "You've won big, contact the National Lottery."
"Surprisingly, I was very calm," the winner admitted. "Although at first I had no idea what I'd won, so there was a bit of scrolling and scrambling through the draw results to figure it out!"
The Ticket Disappears
Following standard advice from the National Lottery to keep winning tickets secure, the woman's partner took extraordinary precautions. He hid the valuable slip so effectively that even he couldn't locate it afterwards. That night, he confessed to "pulling the cupboard apart" in a desperate search before the ticket finally reappeared.
The man admitted he hadn't wanted to tell his partner about the disappearance at all, hoping to find it quietly. Fortunately, the ticket was recovered intact, and the couple have since chosen a new, mutually-agreed hiding place in their sock drawer.
Dream Holiday Plans
With their fortune now securely stored, the couple are planning their celebration. "We're heading to Asia to do some travelling," the Kerry woman revealed. "It's been on our bucket list for so long, so we can't wait to finally book it!"
Cork's Lucky Streak Continues
This substantial win marks the second significant lottery success in Cork recently. Just last week, another Cork woman claimed a €100,000 Lotto prize, similarly expressing plans for a dream holiday. The city appears to be developing a reputation as a fortunate location for lottery players.
Another Major Winner Emerges
Separately, a Dublin man also claimed a €500,000 prize from the same January 27th EuroMillions Plus draw. He revealed he initially missed the email notification about his win, only discovering his fortune when checking the National Lottery app.
"I got up earlier than usual that particular Wednesday morning," he explained. "After ignoring the email the night before about my win, I decided to log in to the app and check what I had won. I never expected to see €500,000 in the little green box!"
The Dublin winner described sharing the news with his dog before waking his wife with the incredible revelation. "She definitely didn't mind being woken up with that news!" he said. The couple are considering a cruise but need time for the reality of their windfall to sink in properly.
