A couple from Kilkenny are planning to pay off their mortgage after winning a €200,000 National Lottery All Cash Spectacular scratch card prize.
They won the life-changing sum from a €10 scratch card bought at Blanchfield's Centra in Mooncoin.
On collecting their winning at the National Lottery offices in Dublin, the husband said spoke of his shock - and joy - when he discovered he had won such a big prize.
“I buy the same scratch card every week and win a few bob here and there but never believed that I was going to win this kind of money," he said.
"I scratched the card in the car after I bought it in the shop and one of my numbers came up as a winner. I then realised it had the €200,000 symbol beside it! I contacted my wife straight away and she told me that I was talking nonsense that I could not have won anything like this! It’s only sinking in with her now!”
The couple are going to go against the temptation of big purchases and are instead, going to pay off their mortgage.
“We had a long think about what we would do with the money and we have decided to pay off our mortgage. It might hurt a little handing over almost all of the money to the bank manager but there is no greater security in life than being mortgage free.
However, in the midst of Storm Freya, the couple are planning on getting some sun with the winnings:
"We’ll have a very small amount left over for a nice family holiday it will be great to get away from this horrendous weather,” he said.
Michael Blanchfield and wife Alice, owners of the Blanchfield’s Centra Store in Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny celebrates with staff after they sell a winning €200,000 National Lottery All Cash Spectacular scratch card prize.
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