Thanks Obama! Winning €8.2m lotto ticket sold at Irish gas station named for President

An Irish lotto ticket worth €8,221,849 was purchased at none other than Barack Obama Plaza in the former US President's ancestral home of Moneygall, Co Offaly.

The winner of the €8.2 million prize has since come forward, and arrangements are now being made for them to visit Lottery Headquarters to collect their prize.

The jackpot, drawn on Saturday, July 25, marked the fourth Lotto Jackpot win of 2026, the National Lottery has confirmed.

While the winner is not known publicly, it didn't stop celebrations from taking over Barack Obama Plaza during the week:

"We are absolutely thrilled to hear that the winning ticket was sold at Obama Plaza," Pat McDonagh, Founder and Managing Director of Supermac’s and Plaza Group, said.

"Over the past 12 years, the Plaza has become a landmark for the local community and for people travelling from every corner of the country, so it’s wonderful to think that someone simply dropping in has had their life changed forever.”

McDonagh added: “Everyone here is hugely excited by the news and we would like to congratulate the winner of this incredible prize. We hope they take the time to enjoy the moment, celebrate with their loved ones and make the very most of this life-changing win. On behalf of everyone at Obama Plaza, we wish them every happiness for the future.”

National Lottery spokesperson Sarah Orr said it was a big weekend for winners all over the country: “What an incredible week it has been for National Lottery players across the country.

"The celebrations began last weekend with two incredible wins: an €8.2 Million Lotto Jackpot ticket sold at Obama Plaza in Moneygall, Co. Offaly for Saturday night’s draw, followed by a €1 Million Daily Million top prize win in Cork on Sunday. These latest successes bring the total number of Millionaires created through National Lottery games this year to 19.

"We’re delighted that both winners have already made contact with our Prize Claims team, and we look forward to welcoming them to our famous Winners Room very soon.”

What is Barack Obama Plaza?

Opened in 2014, Barack Obama Plaza is a purpose-built motorway service station located at Junction 23 on the M7 Dublin to Limerick motorway.

It is located just beside the village of Moneygall, where former US President Barack Obama's third great-grandfather on his mother's side, Fumouth Kearney, emigrated from in the 19th century.

As well as a number of food offerings and a conference facility, the service station is home to the Barack Obama Visitors Centre. The small exhibit, which is free to enter, explores Obama's and other US Presidents' Irish roots.

Outside of the service station is a statue of Obama and his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Bronze sculptures by Mark Rhodes of Barack and Michelle Obama at the Barack Obama Plaza motorway service area near Moneygall, Co Offaly. ( © O'Dea at Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Obama famously visited Moneygall in 2011 during his first term in the White House. The US President and the First Lady shook hands with locals along Main Street, visited the Kearney homestead, shopped in An Siopa Beag, and, of course, sampled a pint in Ollie Hayes' Bar.