IF you're not in, you can't win, according to the State's latest Lotto millionaire, who is the father of 10 children.
It's not the first time that Mr Ned Duggan, of Knockatarry, Kenagh, Co Longford, has been lucky.
Yesterday he collected a cheque for £1,095,803 at the National Lottery headquarters in Abbey Street, Dublin. He shared the jackpot in Saturday's draw with another winner. This win follows previous National Lottery winnings of almost £40,000.
Mr Duggan won £10,000 in March 1987, and a further £1,000 a few months later, both on scratch cards. He has also won £100 on a couple of occasions.
In April 1993 he won £27,000 on the National Lottery's televised Winning Streak. This win was particularly welcome as he said "Money was scarce at the time".
Mr Duggan spent £16 on lottery tickets twice every week until the price of the tickets went up in September, when he reduced his Lotto spending to £24 per week. He also buys scratch cards "an odd time".
His wife, Bernadette, described how the family discovered its win. The members had "jotted down the numbers" as they came out of the drum. One son, Christopher, set about checking one of the panels and began to laugh as he ticked off the numbers. Mr Duggan did not believe his son for an hour.
He hopes to continue working his 74-acre mixed farm in Co Longford, and has no extravagant plans for his winnings other than to bring his family out for a meal.
The other Lotto winner who shared Saturday's jackpot is a woman from Newbridge, Co Kildare. She collected her winnings on Monday afternoon and wishes to remain anonymous.