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ARCHIVED - Rags to riches: Alicante beggar bags 1.2M lottery jackpot in Spain
The unnamed jackpot winner is a well-known figure in the Alicante neighbourhood of La Florida
In a rags to riches story, a street beggar in Alicante has scooped more than 1.2 million euros having hit the lottery jackpot in Spain's Bonoloto.
A well-known and "loved" local in the La Florida neighbourhood of the Costa Blanca city, the unnamed woman begged for money outside a local supermarket and bank.
"You have changed my life!", she cried on hearing she had scooped 1,271,491 euros, according to the tobacconist who sold her the winning ticket.
Mariángeles Torregrosa and Desirée Agorreta run the tobacconist in Avenida de Orihuela which has been in their family for six generations.
They told Spanish press the lucky winner is "of gypsy ethnicity" and begged outside two premises opposite their shop.
"She came in on Thursday (August 4) and told us that we had solved her life problems. We have made someone happy who everyone in the neighbourhood loves. The woman had debts and financial problems," said Mariángeles, adding that this is the biggest lottery prize they have ever seen.
"We have given out prizes of 36,000 euros, but never something so big. We always said we wanted to give a big prize, but you never expect it. We were at home and (the lottery board) called us at 10.40pm last Wednesday to tell us that we had sold the Bonoloto jackpot prize ticket, and I almost fell over from the excitement".
Delighted the unnamed woman had bagged such a huge cash prize, the tobacconist added: "She came every day at around 9am and worked until 2pm, begging between the supermarket and the bank and when she finished, she would come and buy a Bonoloto and Primitiva, but not Euromillón because it was too expensive".
Image: Archive
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