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Mac Innes Photography

Waterford workers collect €2.5m lotto cheque after 16 years of playing the same numbers

Not a bad way to start the weekend…

TWELVE STAFF FROM the Bausch & Lomb plant in Waterford collected a cheque for over €2.5 million this afternoon after their Lottery win.

Each member of the workplace syndicate will take home just under €215,000.

The group, who always used the same numbers, made the trip to the National Lottery headquarters this afternoon after playing together for almost 16 years.

They won the jackpot with an €8 ticket bought at the Spar store in Ferrybank in Waterford on Saturday.

Members of the group say they plan to pay off their mortgages, go on holiday and buy new cars.

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Group organiser, Alan Smith, checked the ticket numbers on Saturday night at 10.45pm, using the National Lottery’s new mobile App ticket checker:

“I scanned the ticket, as I do every week, and a message flashed up ‘Congratulations – please contact us!’ I was delighted but didn’t expect that we’d won the whole Lotto jackpot’.

I checked it a couple of times but refused to believe it. I rang the wife who had been up at a hurling match and I asked ‘where are ya – get home fast, we’re after winning the Lotto! Then I started ringing the other lads in the group.

The group range in age from 37 to 50 and have 16 children in total, with another on the way shortly.

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Bausch and Lomb has been operating in Waterford since 1981 and make ranges of contact lenses.

Read: Someone in Ireland is €2.5 million richer this morning>

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24 Comments
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    Mute The Girl
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:05 PM

    . Enjoy the cash guys…

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    Mute John Cusack
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    Mar 18th 2016, 7:44 PM

    At last some good news for the Waterford area. Congrats to everyone. I hope it brings you all good luck.

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    Mute Barton Hill
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    Mar 19th 2016, 8:55 AM

    The good luck has already arrived. Now lets hope it brings good sense in how its used, and that good fortune and happiness don’t get confused.

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    Mute Rothar Man
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:04 PM

    Awesome !

    161
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    Mute Liam Dennehy
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:44 PM

    Nice to see it go to a few people and improve a few lives. Handy amount to get rid of mortgage pressures etc

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    Mute Flanagan Margaret
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:30 PM

    Congratulations to u all. Good health & happiness.

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    Mute Paul Mc Manus
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:07 PM

    Great result.

    104
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    Mute The Girl
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:05 PM

    Enjoy the cash guys

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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:39 PM

    Savage stuff. Congrats to them.

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    Mute Eddie Grady Grady
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:20 PM

    Will my day ever come…

    49
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    Mute AARO-SAURUS
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:40 PM

    Throw me a score if it does.

    28
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    Mute Jimmy Murphy
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:53 PM

    Good on them. May it bring them years of happiness

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    Mute GI Joe
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:55 PM

    Any of the Journal readers ever win the lotto? If so, how did it change your life, for example friends and family

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    Mute Josie
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    Mar 18th 2016, 7:50 PM

    Delighted for you all. Enjoy it.

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    Mute John Flood
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    Mar 18th 2016, 10:40 PM

    It came at the end but I was happy to see so many positive comments in a row to find one eejit comment in the negative. Well done the group, wear well…

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    Mute Furlong's New Geneva Bar
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    Mar 18th 2016, 7:51 PM

    Congratulations lads. Fair play to yae

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    Mute Sam Barkley
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    Mar 18th 2016, 7:09 PM

    Where’s the session?

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    Mute anthony campion
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    Mar 18th 2016, 8:32 PM

    Fair Play enjoy it folks

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    Mute Martina Finn
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    Mar 18th 2016, 7:51 PM

    Fantastic news! Delighted for you!

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    Mute Jarrett moon
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    Mar 18th 2016, 9:35 PM

    I hope it brings each of them some good and happiness.

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    Mute Coco Beware
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    Mar 18th 2016, 10:36 PM

    Fair play, they’ll have an orgy to celebrate

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    Mute Funfair
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    Mar 19th 2016, 9:42 AM

    I believe one of the guys took redundancy last year and paid over 500 to stay in until July this year. Big call at the time I’d say, delighted for him it paid off

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    Mute Dingleberrycity
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    Mar 19th 2016, 8:25 AM

    Running a syndicate since August 2005 and still no win…
    Some day !

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    Mute David Hefner
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    Mar 18th 2016, 6:40 PM

    Not much by todays standards

    5
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