Small bet, big win: For a man from Guangxi in southwest China, his persistence in playing the lottery has paid off. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports that the man, known only under the pseudonym Li, has been playing the lottery with the same numbers for over a decade but has rarely won anything. Until now: Because with the digits 2, 15, 19, 26, 27, 29 and the additional number 02, the lucky guy won the jackpot of 30.4 million euros.
When the check was handed over at the lottery headquarters, Li then appeared in a yellow suit, a picture of which was published by the SCMP in its article. However, the costume was not only used to protect anonymity, but also has a different background, as the lucky winner confessed. So far he hasn't told anyone, not even his wife and child, about his new wealth - he's worried they'll become arrogant and lazy. "I worry that they will now feel superior to others and will not want to work hard or study for school in the future," Li said, according to the report. Li will take home a total of around 23.6 million euros from his lottery win. On site, the lucky winner donated almost 700,000 euros to charity and had to pay six million euros in taxes.
In China, it is not uncommon for lottery winners to accept the prize hidden in costumes provided by the lottery operator. In September 2019, a winner accepted his €21 million prize money dressed as a pig, while in early 2016 the winner of a €40 million jackpot was dressed in a monkey costume.
He couldn't hide how nervous Li was about winning the lottery. He found out on October 21st that he had won the jackpot and couldn't sleep. The following day he traveled to Nanning, the seat of the lottery company, and had to wait two more days before the check was handed over, during which he did not leave his hotel room - out of concern that he might lose his lottery ticket.
However, the fact that his wife doesn't know about the prize could become a problem for Li. A lawyer told Jiupai News that hiding the jackpot could violate Chinese marriage law. Because there it says in article 13 that possessions that are accumulated by both during the marriage count as joint possessions.
In Europe, the Euro jackpot is currently causing lottery fever. After no participant guessed the five correct numbers and the two correct super numbers last Friday, the jackpot grew to 118 million euros. The next drawing will take place on Tuesday. A curious case in the Philippines recently caused a sensation, where 433 winners scooped up the jackpot.
