Winning ticket returned to loser

A MAN returned a winning lottery ticket to its owner after watching him celebrate and then accidentally drop it on the pavement.

Maurice Desnoyers had been in a newsagent in Agde when he saw an elderly man celebrating winning €15,000 on a Solitaire lottery scratch card.

Mr Desnoyers told Midi Libre: “I saw the winning ticket. Then I left and met my wife who was in the shop next door.”

The couple were returning to their car when Mr Desnoyers saw a piece of paper on the ground and turned it over to reveal the winning Solitaire scratchcard.

He said: “I tried to run after the man, but I couldn’t see him.

“I didn’t think, I put my shopping in the car and took the ticket back.

“I had seen the man, he was happy. It was the first time he had won. He was an elderly man, he probably had more need of it than I did.”

He handed the ticket over to newsagent Alain Collet, who said that a few minutes later the unfortunate winner returned to the shop, shaking.

“I thought he was going to have a heart attack. He was not happy, very emotional,” said Mr Collet.

“He asked ‘have you found anything?’ and I responded ‘And you, are you missing something?”

Mr Collet decided to quickly admit that the winning ticket had been found, as the man appeared to be distressed.

“It was a nice gesture at this time of year. It shows that there are still honest people,” he said.

“The chances of someone bringing back the ticket were infinitesimal. This type of ticket is bearer only, it’s the person who has it in their hand who benefits,” added Mr Collet.
Photo:Andrea Castelli