A Spanish woman, who won 126 millions euros in the Euromillions lottery last Friday, only found out on Monday that she had hit the jackpot, due to a bout of flu.
The 25 year-old unnamed woman from Majorca, was finally tracked down by lottery officials on Monday, according to Serviapuestas in a
report by AFP.
"I was still sick on Monday so I decided to go to work out of fear of losing my job given the economic crisis we are going through," she told Serviapuestas in a statement.
"When she learned the news, she was frightened and at the same time very, very moved. Logically she asked us many questions," the online lottery seller added. She also told
Serviapuestas that when they first contacted her she thought they were “pulling her leg” and “thought it was some publicity.”
The woman was the only ticket holder to select all five correct numbers (4, 23, 24, 29, 31) and two stars (8, 9) and so bags the total jackpot of 126,231,764 euros ($172 million USD) which is enough to buy two Airbus A-320 jets.
The animal and nature-loving winner, plans to buy a country house on the island of Majorca and raise horses: The lucky Spaniard said: "I have always liked animals, nature, sensitive things...”
The Euromillions lottery, which operates across nine European countries started in July 2005 and is Europe's biggest-ever, rolling jackpot lottery game. Friday’s winner beat odds of 76-million- to-one to win the jackpot. The top prize rolls over each week from 15 million if there is no winner. In 2005 Irish woman Dolores McNamara won 115 million euros on the game.
The world record for the largest jackpot is $390 million dollars (286 million euros) which was split by two winners in the American Mega Millions lottery in March 2007.
