Mayo family collect whopping lotto jackpot

A MAYO family has this afternoon collected the weekend Lotto jackpot of €13,793,435.

The jackpot had been rolling since November 18 last year - and is now one of the top 10 lotto jackpots won since the game began in 1988.

The lucky family, who do not wish their identity to be revealed, declared themselves ‘really thrilled, and completely surprised’ by their win.

'We play lotto all the time and have had some small wins, but this is tremendous, and very unreal', the wife said.

'We played a €10 Quick Pick ticket in Careys in Belmullet for the big jackpot on Saturday last. We’re really thrilled for Careys as well, and delighted that the biggest jackpot of the year came to Mayo.

'Normally, we play family numbers, but just because it was such a big jackpot, we decided to play a Quick Pick. Look what happened,' she added.

The couple and their family have no immediate plans to spend their fortune.

But they have some ideas: 'Top of the wish list for us as a family is a skiing holiday, as we’ve never been. Hopefully, we’ll be on the slopes and doing the apres- ski thing by this time next month,' the husband said.

'Obviously, we want to help family with mortgages and bills and what have you. And I want to go to the European football finals in France later this year, so now I can afford to do that', he added.

The couple say they both work full time, and do not intend giving it up.

'We do intend using this win to make our lives, and those of our families, more secure financially. It’s just great to know that there’s plenty available for a rainy day for everyone we care about', the wife said.