Lotto excitement was at fever pitch in the luckiest town in Ireland and Europe on Monday as speculation mounted over who bought the record breaking €19million ticket.
The largest ever National Lottery top prize was won by a person who bought a Quick Pick in Co Mayo and matched six numbers.
The Lotto jackpot triumph on Saturday in the 'must win' draw ended a 62-draw drought and seven-month period without a winner.
There was a hive of activity in Castlebar on Monday as locals checked their tickets and speculation and rumours intensified over who the winner is.
The county town has now had four jackpot winners worth a combined €80 million since 2014.
Lorna Cloherty, a teacher from Castlebar, said: "It's great there has been a winner in the county and Mayo's had a lot of luck the last few years, it's lovely.
"I've checked my ticket and unfortunately I won nothing.
"I work in a local school [Davitt College] and there's a lot of talk, if someone isn't in are they missing because they've won the Lotto.
"Some of it is craic, but whoever won it is probably keeping it tight to their chest and rightly so, I'd do the same if it was me."
There were some rumours that the winning ticket was sold in the county town.
Less than two years ago a Castlebar shopper bought a EuroMillions jackpot ticket in Mulroy’s Londis shop in the town and scooped €17 million.
Owner Alan Mulroy, who is keeping his fingers crossed the popular retailer may have sold a winning ticket for a mammoth Lotto jackpot for a second time, said: "There's a great vibe in Castlebar today and this morning was brilliant, with everyone asking the question, 'Did I get the phone call from the National Lottery?'
"I've had no phone call yet and we'll see, but I think whoever sold the winning ticket should hear by [Tuesday] night.
"The sign is out that I had outside the shop two years ago saying that Castlebar is the luckiest town in Europe so it'd be massive for Castlebar, whichever shop has it, it'd be good for us all."
Mulroy's Londis shop landed a welcome €25,000 for being the retailer that sold the €17 million EuroMillions ticket in February 2020.
Alan, who said the amount of tickets sold in the shop last weekend increased five-fold, added: "The business I had in the weeks after our EuroMillions win here was massive, there was a lot of goodwill."
"Our business went up 15% or 20% from there on in, so it's really good for a shop.
"There's a great atmosphere and nobody is talking about Covid."
Other big Castlebar wins include a EuroMillions jackpot worth €29 million that was landed by a syndicate in July 2019 after they purchased the ticket in the Garryduff XL store.
The first EuroMillions jackpot win in Castlebar was in April 2014 when a ticket worth €15 million was snapped up at Staunton’s Costcutter Express on Main Street.
Meanwhile, friends Ava Walsh and Caroline O'Hara were picking up some lunch at Mulroy's Londis and had heard some speculation about the possible winner.
Ava Walsh, from Foxford, said: "I've heard they're from Balla.
"I did it myself for my dad at this shop but he didn't have any luck.
"If I won it I'd leave my job," she laughed.
Meanwhile, Caroline, from Swinford, added: "If I won it I'd probably travel the world."
Elsewhere, in Castlebar the mammoth Lotto jackpot winner was the only topic of conversation on the Main Street and in Rings & Things jewellery shop.
Staff member Valerie Irwin said: "I really hope it's someone that needs it," while Breda Heffernan added: "I hope it's a syndicate and then a lot of people can share it and benefit from it."
