'Turns out I was €498,000 off!’ Irish Lotto players celebrate wins before €16.5 million draw

The Lotto Jackpot is an estimated €16.5 million for tomorrow night's draw, Saturday August 23. This is the highest the prize pot has been since 2021.

With the historic €250 million EuroMillions jackpot being won in Ireland in July, it begs the question could you be Ireland's ninth Lotto millionaire of 2025 in tomorrow night's draw? ? 

Ahead of this potentially life-changing draw, Lotto winners around the country have been rejoicing their monumental wins at the National Lottery Headquarters (HQ) in Dublin. 

Players from Donegal, Limerick, Tipperary, and Galway have come forward this past week to collect their prize money and tell their stories of winning big. 

From morning rituals to long-standing routines, each win tells a story of celebration and surprise. 

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Aman from Limerick has made the trip to Lottery HQ to collect his cheque of €500,000 after scoring the EuroMillions Plus top prize in the Friday, August 15 draw.  

His winning ticket was purchased from Day Today Rathkeale, New Line, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick. Speaking on his big win: "I've been playing EuroMillions for years, and I've had a few decent wins, but this is certainly the biggest prize. But this time, I misread my ticket and thought I'd matched less numbers than I actually had. Turns out, I was €498,000 off!"   

He is planning a family celebration and says he's grateful to be able to look after his loved ones. 

In Donegal, A National Lottery player collected his cheque for €250,000, after winning the Lotto Plus 2 top prize in the Saturday August 9 draw.  

The winning ticket was purchased at Daly's Topaz, Daly Brothers Retail Ltd, Lifford. Eplaining how he found out about his life changing win: "I was sitting outside enjoying my morning coffee when I scanned my ticket. ' You've Won Big' popped up on screen, I couldn't believe it. I paced the house in total shock and spent the past week worrying I'd lose my wallet for the first time in 20 years!" This Donegal player plans use his winnings to enjoy a well-deserved holiday and support his nearest and dearest.  

In Tipperary, a woman claimed €108,042 in the Lotto Match 5 + Bonus from the Saturday, August 9 draw. Her winning ticket was purchased at Dunnes Stores, Ann Brook Shopping Centre, Nenagh.    

The woman expressed her shock when she found out of her win: "I never thought this would happen to me. I kept checking and re-scanning the ticket, thinking it just couldn't be right."   

With no immediate plans to spend her winnings, she has stated that she is looking forward to celebrating with her family. 

Finally in Galway, a woman's patience finally paid off as she won the Telly Bingo Snowball jackpot on Thursday, August 14, receiving a €40,010 prize pot. 

The woman expressed disbelief on her win that: ""I've been playing Telly Bingo ever since it started and I can't believe I've finally won the Snowball prize!"  

 Her winning ticket was purchased from News N Choose, Main Street, Loughrea, Co Galway.    

Reminiscing on her win she explained: "I was pausing and playing to mark off my numbers. When there were no more numbers left to tick off, I just sat there in disbelief. The house was busy at the time, and I let out a scream - first from shock, then pure excitement! Everyone was wondering what had just happened." She's looking forward to celebrating with her family at their next gathering and plans to share her prize with those closest to her. 

With tomorrow night's Lotto jackpot an estimated €16.5 million, tickets for Saturday night's draw can be purchased in-store, through the National Lottery app or at http://www.lottery.ie ahead of the 7.45pm cut-off time for sales.  

If not won before its cap of €19.06 million, a Will-Be-Won draw will occur if the top prize is not won within five consecutive roll-overs.