Linas Jegelevičius
Lithuania made Eurojackpot history last week when a single ticket holder from Kėdainiai, a town in central Lithuania, matched all the winning numbers to secure a staggering 80.9-million-euros prize.
This is now the largest lottery win ever recorded in the entire Baltic States!
Kėdainiai, known for its traditional cucumber festival and historic manors, is buzzing with speculation. Locals are asking:
“Who is the new multi-millionaire? Will this windfall bring them happiness or, well, perhaps, stress and misery?”
To learn more about the winner—whose identity, including gender, age, and employment status, remains confidential due to data protection laws and the rules of Lithuanian lottery operator Olifėja—BNN spoke to various residents of the town.
Reflecting on Kėdainiai’s sudden prominence in national and international headlines, Virginija Baltraitienė, Deputy Mayor of the Kėdainiai District Municipality, said it was “preposterous” to think that one person could reshape the town’s cherished image.
“Of course, I’ve read about it. I wish the person all the best,” she added.
Kėdainiai has earned a reputation as Lithuania’s cucumber capital due to the large number of cucumber growers in the district and its famous annual Cucumber Festival.
The jackpot had rolled over for eight consecutive draws since a Polish player won ten million euros on the 3rd of September. However, the streak ended on the 4th of October, when the winning numbers were drawn in Helsinki: four, 16, 27, 34, and 44, with Euro numbers four and seven.
More than 1.1 million prizes were awarded in the draw, but the standout winner, hailing from Lithuania, claimed the full 80 982 879-euros jackpot.
It was revealed that the winning ticket was not a random selection of machine-generated numbers. Instead, the player had chosen their own sequence of “lucky” numbers, which mathematicians say makes the victory even more improbable.
“One in a hundred million, you could say that,” remarked Donatas Kazlauskas, Deputy General Director of Olifėja, the lottery organizer.
Lina Kalinienė, advertising manager at the local newspaper Rinkos Aikštė, told BNN that the town is abuzz with gossip about the win and the mystery surrounding the winner’s identity.
“Kėdainiai is a relatively small town where locals know each other well, so I’m surprised the winner hasn’t been identified yet,” Kalinienė said.
When asked if spotting a new Porsche or a castle-like mansion would give away the winner, she chuckled and added, “I doubt it. Our people tend to be modest.”
When asked how she would handle such a windfall, Kalinienė said, “It would be hard to grasp at first. For the first year, I’d just put the money in the bank and try not to think about it.”
Kėdainiai Elder Artūras Gustas also expressed curiosity about the winner’s identity, adding,
“It’s surprising the person and their family have managed to keep it secret.”
“If I won 80 million euros, I’d feel uneasy,” he said with a grin. “I’d just put the money in the bank and live off the interest. As for an immediate purchase, maybe a new car. The one I drive is from 2004.”
Kėdainiai-based psychologist and psychotherapist Rita Bagdonaitė commented on the psychological impact of such a massive win.
“Handling such a sudden windfall is extraordinary. The person would likely experience a whirlwind of emotions—not distress, but immense luck. We’re used to helping people through crises, but in this case, the challenge would be navigating unexpected good fortune,” she explained.
Evaldas Petrauskas, a former credit union owner, cautioned that without the right mindset and financial acumen, people can be overwhelmed by sudden wealth.
“My advice to the Eurojackpot winner would be to prioritize family and regular activities over the money. Money comes and goes, but memories last,” he said.
This is only the second time a Eurojackpot prize has been claimed in Lithuania,
with the first being a 24 million euros win in January 2022. Lottery officials have celebrated the latest success with enthusiasm.
According to lottery rules, the winner must claim their prize within 30 days by presenting the winning ticket at the lottery office. However, the winner showed up within days after the announcement.
“We were delighted that the winner quickly responded and contacted our customer service,” D. Kazlauskas said.
The winning ticket was purchased at the Norfa groceries store on J. Basanavičiaus Street in Kėdainiai, which has also gained some fame. The store will be awarded the “Happiest Store” certificate in recognition of its role in this historic win.