EuroMillions jackpot makes poor woman one of Ireland's richest

Dec 9, 2013, 10:01 am (32 comments)

Euro Millions

From struggling on €70 a week in jobseeker's allowance, Margaret Loughrey is now officially one of Ireland's richest women.

But she says she will stay in her hometown despite scooping a whopping £26.9 million (US$44 million) from the EuroMillions jackpot.

Margaret, or Mags as she is known to her friends, from Strabane, Co Tyrone, struck gold after hitting five numbers and two lucky stars in the November 26th Euro Millions drawing.

The unemployed and single 48-year-old broke her silence yesterday as the shock of her £26,863,588.20 win continued to sink in.

She said that while she had no immediate plans for the money it, would change many lives for the better. Speaking from her modest two-bedroom bungalow, Margaret recalled the moment she realised she was a millionaire many, many times over.

"I left the house on Tuesday because I heard there was a job advertised and I wanted to apply for it. So I went to the Jobcentre and printed out the job application before going to Supervalu. I can't always afford to do the EuroMillions, but I had a couple of extra pound in my purse and just on the spur of the moment, I did a Lucky Dip," she said.

Lucky Stars

The shop assistant handed her the slip with the numbers 19, 23, 27, 42 and 44, with Lucky Stars 3 and 5. In a 117 million-to-one stroke of luck, they were the exact numbers drawn. "I got up at 7am on Wednesday and put on the television. I just had this notion so I checked my numbers and there they were.

"I was just in state of shock and I must have checked 10 times. I took a walk out to the back garden and sat out there for a while before coming back in and checking again. I must have walked around the house for five hours before ringing my brother and asking him to call up."

A chunk of it will however go to her four brothers, sister, 75-year-old mother, extended family and a few close friends.

"I think I deserve it," she said.

"I'm a good person and I bother no one. If whatever is out there has given me this amount of money, then it couldn't be for anything but good. All it will do is change lives for the better and make a lot of people happy, not just me."

Margaret said that before her winnings, she had often dreamt of retiring to the south of Spain, but she will not allow the money to change her.

"Definitely not. It won't change who I am. Strabane will always be home for me."

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

Thanks to myturn for the tip.

Irish Independent

Comments

Jill34786's avatarJill34786

Congrats to her! Can't believe the odds were 7 billion to 1.

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

This is what makes the lottery great. Anyone can win it. Congrats.

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

"Thank Your Lucky Stars" Congratulations Margaret Loughrey Blue Angel

RedStang's avatarRedStang

I did a Lucky Dip," she said.

Wow what luck. Last time i took a lucky dip, the pool had no water. Explains my luck for the year.

noise-gate

Great dredging Todd. Her ship finally came in.  Way to go Mags!!

DDOH937's avatarDDOH937

SUPER DUPER BIG CONGRATS TO HER!!!!   Was that a typo or are the odds for Euro Millions really 7 BILLION to 1?? Never knew the odds with that game were so high. If taht's really the case i'm really surprised they have soo many winners annualy. Was that a typo?

Greg2117's avatarGreg2117

7 billion to one odds. That doesn't  sound right. On their website it says the odds are 1 in 116,531,800

Jill34786's avatarJill34786

Quote: Originally posted by Jill34786 on Dec 9, 2013

Congrats to her! Can't believe the odds were 7 billion to 1.

Just checked the odds on euromillions website. It is 116million to 1 and not the 7 billion to one that this article claims. Great fact checking by the journalist...just like the ones we have here in the states.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by Greg2117 on Dec 9, 2013

7 billion to one odds. That doesn't  sound right. On their website it says the odds are 1 in 116,531,800

I agree, a particularly egregious error.  I have updated the article.

DDOH937's avatarDDOH937

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Dec 9, 2013

I agree, a particularly egregious error.  I have updated the article.

hahaha, i was here scratching my head on that one. Thanks for the update. Good stuff.

Jordi88

Congrats!! I hope she won't regret to go public like the  Adrian - Gillian Bayford and Dave - Angela Dawes. The yellow press in UK are quick with news like a divorce etc. I'll definitely not go public ...

Slick Nick's avatarSlick Nick

From rags to riches. Banana

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

God Bless her.

SergeM's avatarSergeM

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Dec 9, 2013

God Bless her.

She doesn't need that ... anymore. Big Smile

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