Photo unrelated to article. [Newsis]
Photo unrelated to article. [Newsis]

A couple about to be married won 2 billion won ($1.36 million) on a scratch ticket purchased the same day the man met his girlfriend's parents for the first time.

Donhaeng Lottery recently released an interview with the first-prize winner of the 68th showing of Speetto 2000, a 2 billion won instant scratch ticket.

The winner, identified only as A, said in the interview that he and his girlfriend stumbled upon a lottery retailer while on a date after finishing a meal with her parents.

"I happened to have cash on me, so I bought a Lotto ticket and a Speetto 2000," A said. "I scratched the Speetto right there at the shop to check if I had won."

The result was beyond anything he had expected. "Amazingly, it came up as a 2 billion won win," he said. "My girlfriend and I were so stunned that we slipped out of the shop without saying a word."

The two could not bring themselves to celebrate right away. They walked a long while until they reached a quiet spot and checked the ticket again, but even then it did not feel real. "It was only after we got home and verified it a second time that we finally accepted it was true and cheered together," A said.

The good news was quickly shared with both families. "Everyone celebrated with us, saying what great luck had come our way just before the wedding," A said.

A had occasionally bought Lotto and Speetto tickets in the past. He said he plans to use the winnings to fund the couple's wedding preparations.

Speetto 2000 is an instant scratch ticket in which players win a prize by matching lucky symbols on the ticket's surface. The first-prize payout is 1 billion won, but buying a set allows winners to collect up to 2 billion won.


choigo@heraldcorp.com