Euro Millions: French butcher wins Euro Millions lottery jackpot
A butcher from suburban Bordeaux in south-west France was the sole winner of Europe's latest lottery jackpot and was to pocket the hefty sum of ¬26.2 million (US$35 million), French lottery officials said on Sunday.
It was the second highest EuroMillions jackpot in France following the record of ¬33.8 million (US$45.2 million) won by an anonymous couple of retirees and their son in May.
Unlike most lottery games in the United States which advertise the jackpot as a 25+ year annuity, Euro Millions jackpots are paid in one lump-sum.
The butcher from Begles, near Bordeaux, won Friday's jackpot and was to travel to Paris this week to receive his check.
The EuroMillions lottery was launched in February of this year by the national lottery companies of Britain, France and Spain. It was expanded in October to include Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal and Switzerland.