EXCLUSIVE: A Donegal supermarket yesterday sold the winning ticket of the €5 million lotto jackpot.
The search for the mystery winner was on today as champagne corks popped at Doherty’s Costcutters supermarket in Ballybofey.
Well-wishers called to the supermarket all day today as word of the huge win filtered through.
The winning ticket was a €4 ticket using the winner’s own numbers and the ticket was done on Saturday last.
The win is the shop’s first jackpot win.
Owner of the shop Michael Doherty said he was delighted for whoever scooped the huge windfall of €5,146,800.
“I’m not sure who it was but I can tell you it certainly wasn’t me.
“It could have been anyone but the fact that it was a €4 ticket and it was their own numbers suggests it was someone local and I genuinely hope it was.
“We do get a bit of passing trade but the majority of our shoppers come from locally.
“I honestly don’t know who it is but I wish them all the happiness in the world.
“It will either be the start or the end of a lot of troubles for them,” said Michael.
The shop is next to next McElhinney’s Deprtament store in Ballybofey which also attracts a lot of shoppers from Northern Ireland.
It is also just one hundred yards from Donegal main GAA ground MacCumhaill Park where Jim McGuinness’ team took on Dublin yesterday (SUN).
Fans from both Donegal and Dublin called into the shop yesterday to do their lucky lotto tickets as word of the big win spread.
Fan Johnny Byrne from Dublin said he was hoping to get a rub of the green from Donegal.
“Donegal is a lucky county and I did my lotto in Doherty’s Costcutters today.
“Who knows – I could be the winner next week,” he laughed.