In a surprising turn of events, a German man recently discovered a forgotten lottery ticket worth €15.3m (£13.4m) hidden in his jacket pocket after six months. The man, living in Hesse, western Germany, had purchased the ticket in March but had completely forgotten about it until he retrieved his jacket from storage. The winning numbers, including the bonus number, were scribbled on a receipt tucked away in the coat.
The lottery company, Lotto Hessen, had been desperately searching for the winner for half a year, resorting to public pleas and notices in retail shops. Despite hearing about the unclaimed prize on the news, the man didn’t realize he was the winner until he checked the numbers on his mobile phone. Shocked by the discovery, he has now come forward to claim his millions.
Expressing astonishment at the situation, a Lotto Hessen spokesperson remarked on how the prize had slipped the winner’s mind, leading to the delayed claim. The man, now planning to spend his windfall on a new sofa for his living room and providing for his family, has chosen to keep his identity private. This revelation comes as a relief to the lottery company, which had intended to launch another search campaign before the winner finally stepped forward.