- Title: ITALY: Italians ride their luck in record lottery draw
- Date: 24th July 2009
- Summary: TOURISTS AT THE ROMAN FORUM PEOPLE DRESSED AS ANCIENT WARRIORS POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH JAPANESE TOURISTS BANNER READING (Italian) "Superenalotto. Super easy" PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE TOBACCONIST WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE TO BET. MAN ENTERING TOBACCONIST VARIOUS OF MAN FILLING IN SUPERENALOTTO BET VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HANDING BETS TO SHOP KEEPER DOOR READING : Jackpot 102,500,000 Euros VARIOUS OF SHOP KEEPER PROCESSING BETS WOMAN ENTERING TOBACCONIST (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) PASSER BY DONATELLA GRAZIA SAYING: " If I won first I would buy my house, then I would stop working and I would go for holiday for the rest of my life." WOMAN ENTERING TOBACCONIST VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FILLING IN LOTTERY TICKET FORMS SHOP KEEPER PROCESSING BETS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) WOMAN PLAYER MARIA ZOLFO SAYING: "I don't agree with such high prizes. I believe that there should be a limit or that the prize should be divided into smaller parts to give more people the possibility to win. The amount is so high that it is almost meaningless, absurd. During this financial crisis I would give the possibility of winning to as many people as possible." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) AMID WHO MIGRATED TO ITALY FROM SRI LANKA SIX YEARS AGO SAYING: "If I win I will probably turn crazy because it is so much. Let's see, when I win what I'll decide to do. Anyway the first thing will be my family, to send money back to my country." STREET SCENES
- Embargoed: 8th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVAQ59K0E2YK2N3ABKN9UCKNJZH
- Story Text: Aspiring millionaires have selected six numbers at random to claim the record jackpot in Italy's lottery.
Lottery hopefuls placed their last bets on Thursday (July 23) to claim the Italian lottery prize as it rose to a record 102.5 million euros.
With only a few hours to go until the draw, people were still filling in draw forms in shops and tobacconists.
"If I won first I would buy my house, then I would stop working and I would go for holiday for the rest of my life," Angela Grazia said outside a Lottery shop in Rome.
Some expressed doubts about the morality of handing out such huge sums although were not denying themselves a chance of winning.
"I don't agree with such high prizes. I believe that there should be a limit or that the prize should be divided into smaller parts to give more people the possibility to win," said Maria Zolfo as she bought her ticket.
"The amount is so high that it is almost meaningless, absurd. In this moment of financial crisis I would give the possibility of winning to as many people as possible," she added.
Italian news agency ANSA reported that people drove into Italy to bet from neighbouring countries like France, Austria and Slovenia.
Also many of the five million foreigners who migrated to Italy also play to see if lady luck is on their side.
" If I win I will probably turn crazy because it is too much." said Amid, a Sri-Lankan who migrated to Italy six years ago.
"Anyway the first thing will be my family, to send money back to my country," he added. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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