CASTLEBAR IN Co Mayo has been revealed as the town that sold the €19 million winning lottery ticket, the owner of which is yet to come forward.
The draw which took place on Saturday evening was the first ever 'must be won' lottery draw in Ireland as the jackpot had rolled over weekly since June.
The winning numbers drawn were 2, 9, 16, 30, 37, 40 and the bonus number was 23.
The player is now the winner of the largest jackpot in the history of the game.
Castlebar has a history of selling winning lottery tickets, having sold the winning EuroMillions jackpot ticket worth €29 million in Garryduff XL store in the town in July 2019.
In April 2014, the first EuroMillions jackpot worth €15 million was won in the town having been purchased at Staunton’s Costcutter Express on Main Street.
Also, less than two years ago a €17 million EuroMillions jackpot was sold in Mulroy’s Londis in Castlebar.
We can confirm the winning ticket from Saturday’s #Lotto draw was purchased in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.
The record-breaking winner has yet to come forward.#ItCouldBeYou— The Irish National Lottery (@NationalLottery) January 17, 2022
The draw on Saturday also saw 149 winners who matched five numbers share €5.5 million between them, each taking home €36,687.
A spokesperson for the National Lottery said that they are urging all players in Mayo to carefully check their tickets today "as one player has a ticket worth a truly life-altering amount."
Fine Gael TD for Kildare North Bernard Durkan, who had been critical of the National Lottery's seven-month rollover, said it was a relief that the "main prize has been unlocked once again."
He had previously called for an investigation into the lottery.
He told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme that the win came about "as a result of the National Lottery's response to the questions raised by the general public."
"It may well be a good time to review further to see whatever else might be beneficial to ensure the public continue to support the National Lottery," he said.
"We shouldn't have to have a review for the jackpot to be won, even though it could be argued that it is a game of chance."
He said he believed that over a six-month period there should be one or two winners so a player can feel confidence in the game.
"That didn't happen in the past six months, despite the fact that there were five or six wins in the first six months of 2021."
He also suggested that it might be better to have 20 winners of €1 million each, as opposed to one winner of €20 million, which may attract people to play the lotto.
See More: Bernard Durkan, Castlebar, Lottery, Lotto, Mayo
