ITALY: Italy gripped by lottery fever as top prize nears 110,000 euro mark

Record ID: 572711

  • Title: ITALY: Italy gripped by lottery fever as top prize nears 110,000 euro mark
  • Date: 31st July 2009
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (JULY 30, 2009) (REUTERS) ROME STREET SCENE LOTTERY SIGN SUPER ENALOTTO MAN BUYING LOTTERY TICKET QUEUE IN TOBACCONISTS TO BUY TICKETS LOTTERY NUMBERS IN WINDOW PEOPLE FILLING IN NUMBERS ON LOTTERY TICKET SIGN WITH JACKPOT 109.9 MILLION EURO VARIOUS PEOPLE BUYING TICKETS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LOTTERY TICKET BUYER MARIA-LUISA JACOPO, SAYING: "I just hope it isn't all a big scam and that somebody wins this money and that it is somebody who really needs it." PRIME MINISTER'S STAFF BUYING LOTTERY TICKETS CHART SHOWING SYSTEM FOR COMING UP WITH NUMBERS ON SALE PEOPLE BUYING LOTTERY TICKETS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ELDERLY WOMAN TERESA TIRO, SAYING: "I am 80-years-old and still work so if I won I could just stay at home because my pension just isn't enough." COMPUTER WITH SIGN READING: "Computer not working due to high number of buyers" MAN LEAVING SHOP/ PASSING FRUIT MACHINES / GAMBLING MACHINES
  • Embargoed: 15th August 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAAXLV9MNQD2EV4T9XY65C72472
  • Story Text: Italians held their breath for another draw as the lottery jackpot reaches 109.9 million euros ($155m USD) after months without a winner.
    Italians were back out buying lottery tickets on Thursday (July 30) after months with no winner the jackpot has now reached 109.9 million euros.
    Coming up with a system to produce the set of six winning numbers is now all the rage at tobacconist shops where the tickets are sold. Not only do the tobacconists themselves come up with their ideas of what the winning ticket should be but also sell other systems, some of which cost 500 euros ($703 USD) compared to the standard two-euro ticket.
    "I just hope it isn't all a big scam and that somebody wins this money and that it is somebody who really needs it," said ticket buyer Maria-Luisa Jacopo.
    Some Italians are becoming sceptical about the lottery after months without a winner and news on Wednesday that the main competitor to the Super-Enalotto was being investigated for fraud.
    Certainly it seems every layer of society is coming out to buy a ticket. Even Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's bodyguards were seen buying them on Thursday, although they would not say if they bought one for the prime minister himself.
    For most Italians the dream of winning the jackpot is almost too big to contemplate.
    "I am 80 years old and still work, so if I won I could just stay at home, my pension just isn't enough," said Teresa Tiro working out her own system for what she hopes will be a winning draw.
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