The man was a regular customer at the Agora Cafe Bar in Sarmeola di Rubano in the Padua province of Italy for years – but the reality of his ‘winnings’ was far greater than he imagined
A bloke who popped into a shop believing he’d won €100 (£86) on a scratch card was stunned to discover he’d actually won over €100,000 (£86,400).
The punter, who departed shortly afterwards, strolled into the Agora Café bar in Sarmeola di Rubano in Italy’s Padua province on September 1 convinced he might have claimed €100.
Yet the truth proved far more extraordinary as shop owner Erika Ni revealed he’d genuinely secured €100,000 (£86,515) on the €2 (£1.73) ticket he’d purchased at the close of August.
According to reports, Erika said the gentleman, believed to be in his 40s, stared at her in amazement before departing the premises in complete bewilderment, though not without first celebrating alongside Erika and fellow patrons in the café bar, according to Corriere Del Veneto.
Reflecting on the extraordinary moment, Erika remembered precisely how the chap, a familiar face she’d recognised for some time, responded, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Erika said: “We know the winner well, he’s a regular customer. He put his hands on his head and asked me, with a smile, if I was kidding, but I wasn’t.
“We remember everything about that day, because when something like that happens, you can’t stop thinking about it.
“He arrived with his usual smile. He was happy and leaned on the counter, explaining that he wanted to collect the hundred euros that, with a stroke of luck, he had managed to win. I used the scratch card app on my mobile phone to check and couldn’t believe my eyes.”
Erika revealed that her delight for the bloke was so overwhelming that she struggled to find the words to break the news to him.
She said: “I didn’t even know how to tell him because I was so excited.
“When I told him that he might have misread it and that he had actually won a hundred thousand euros, he put his hands on his head and asked me if I was kidding him.”
Regarding where he might have disappeared to, Erika reckoned that he probably splashed some of the money on a holiday.
She said: “I think he went on vacation, he decided to treat himself. He said he’ll come back with something for us too. Here in town, everyone’s talking about it.”
Meanwhile, il mattino di Padova reported that it wasn’t just Erika who celebrated his good fortune, but also mates and customers at the bar.
Erika said: “We are all happy for him, he is a customer we see often, fond of the place. I immediately gave him all the information on how to collect his winnings, as for these amounts you need to go to the bank. I think he is already planning something nice for himself and his family.”