Tourists hide €26m winning lottery ticket in dishes in south-west France
They had to wait until the end of their holiday before claiming the big EuroMillions prize
The couple managed to keep their ticket safe until they got home
FDJ
A couple of tourists visiting the south-west of France have told how they hid a winning €26m EuroMillions lottery ticket in a stack of dishes as they feared losing it before they could claim the money at the end of their trip.
The couple purchased the lottery ticket in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Hautes-Pyrénées when they stopped on the road to the gite that they had rented.
Read more: Which areas see most lottery wins in France?
It emerged on July 19 that the ticket was not only a winner, but a massive €26m - the biggest win ever seen in the department.
“Word spreads fast around here,” the manager of the tabac that sold the winning ticket told FranceBleu. “A lot of people started coming to see me.”
Read more: 14 things you can do at a tabac in France apart from buy cigarettes
Unsurprisingly, the tourists, who wish to remain anonymous, chose to keep the ticket close.
“It was unreal. We couldn't sleep at night, but we kept it in bed with us and we also took it to the beach with us and we had to take turns swimming", the couple said. "In our rental we even hid it under a pile of plates and in the furniture."
The couple had to keep the ticket according to the instructions of EuroMillions organiser FDJ, which typically allows for several weeks to validate a win.
They finally swapped the ticket for a giant cheque on August 7.
“We're happy to know that we'll be able to do good around us, help our families who sometimes need it, spoil our loved ones and travel with them,” they said.
As for the manager of the tabac, he told local media of his plans to cash-in on the win, which he believes will help double his revenue for the next month.
“I’ve ordered a giant banner over three and a half metres wide to put on my roof, so it will be visible from the whole square,” he said. “I’m quite proud.”
