15 people working at Foy’s Irish bar, located in Vancouver, won $1 million (around $67,000) each, with an Irish couple who have a baby bringing nearly $134,000 into their household.
After their workplace won Canada’s Lotto Max prize, the couple are now ready to bring their infant son home to Ireland for the first time in his life.
The total prize equated to around €663,016, meaning each player won €44,201.
Speaking about buying the winning the ticket, Wicklow native James Browne said: "This is the first time we ever played together. It’s absolutely life-changing. I never, ever thought I’d be able to afford a down payment on a house in Vancouver.
"That’s exactly what it’s going towards. A couple of people in the group, they’re a couple, they have a little baby, it’s a game changer for them as well. A lot of staff just weren’t doing well. The city is expensive."
The bar’s part-time kitchen worker Olivia Lyons and her barman partner Conor Quinn, who she has a son with, initially thought that her colleagues were joking when they informed her about the win.
She recalled to the Irish Mirror: "I am just signing my child up for private school now, so if you’re wrong, you’re paying this bill. The first time. Beginner’s luck. We’re going to bring him home for Christmas."
Sadly some of the bar’s staff missed out on being part of the syndicate due to not paying in time, with Ms. Lyons noting "they’re obviously disappointed" but remain happy about the win.
Mr. Browne, who manages the pub, "had to check the amount a couple of times" after scanning the ticket and seeing what they won.
"I thought it was $1,000 and then I thought it was $10,000 and I started working my way up. I got to $100,000 and then I counted the zeros. I went pale. It was crazy, a surreal experience.
"I walked down to the mall to double-check the ticket, as I needed to make sure. It just feels like all a dream. It really is a life-changing amount of money to win and I’m delighted for everybody that was involved," he said.
Steven Foy, who owns the pub which opened 10 months ago is putting his share of the winnings towards some improvements in his establishment.
"People are saying it’s a lucky bar. It’s the luck of the Irish. Everybody that won, 13 of them are Irish and two are Canadian. The No1 thing that everyone said when they won was, 'I can’t wait to go home, visit my family.' I’m delighted for them to be able to do that.
”They can take as much [holiday] as they want, they all deserve it. I can’t see them quitting. It’s brought us closer," he said.
* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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