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 vastly different as shop owner Erika Ni informed him he’d genuinely secured €100,000 (£86,515) on the €2 (£1.73) ticket he’d purchased at August’s end.
According to reports, Erika revealed the gentleman, believed to be in his 40s, stared at her in amazement before departing the premises in astonishment, though not without marking the moment alongside Erika and fellow café patrons, according to Corriere Del Veneto.
Discussing the extraordinary episode, Erika remembered how the chap, a familiar face in the shop who 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 was so overjoyed for the man that she struggled to find the words to tell him about his win. 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.”
As for where he might have gone, Erika speculated that he may have used some of his winnings to take a holiday.
She stated: “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 Erika wasn’t the only one sharing in his joy; friends and customers at the bar were also delighted for him.
Erika added: “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.”