A man from the Frankfurt region of Germany had a narrow escape from losing a life-changing prize after discovering a forgotten lottery ticket worth €15 million (about RM76 million). Shockingly, he had left the winning ticket in the pocket of his jacket for six months, only finding it again when colder weather forced him to wear the coat.
According to France 24, Lotto Hessen revealed on September 30 that the man had purchased the ticket in spring. The winning numbers had long been drawn, and the lottery company even launched a major campaign with posters calling for the unknown winner to come forward. Unaware he was the lucky person, the man carried on with life through the summer.
It wasn’t until the recent drop in temperatures that he put on his old jacket and stumbled upon the folded ticket in its inner pocket. “When I checked the numbers on my phone, I was completely shocked,” he recalled. “Luckily, I was sitting down, otherwise my legs would have given out.”
Ironically, the man admitted he had heard radio reports over the summer about the “missing jackpot winner,” even mocking the unknown person for being so careless — never realizing it was him.
As for the money, he joked that the first purchase will be a new sofa for the family living room. The rest, he and his wife plan to keep for their children’s future security. When asked if they would share the news with relatives and friends, he revealed the couple has already agreed to keep it a secret.
