It sounds like something Hans Christian Andersen might have written for the festive period – although we know how it ended for the Little Match Girl, so maybe not – but in this case, it really happened as Christmas came early for a formerly homeless man at Føtex in Korsør in western Zealand on Sunday.
He won 3.6 million kroner in the Danske Spil scratchcard game Ekstra Månedsløn (‘Extra Monthly Pay’) – a healthy amount by most people's standards, but not really big enough to arouse the interest of the national media until it emerged the winner used to live on the streets.
Sjælandske Medier prised the information from the winner's sister, who said her brother was due some good luck.
A really good person
“I’m so thankful because he’s been homeless,” she explained. “He’s a really good person and I can’t say anything negative about him.”
The winner, who is Greenlandic and declined to give his name, said he already had plans for the cash.
“First of all, I think I’ll go home to Greenland for Christmas and New Year,” he said.
“I was homeless for six months but now I have a nice big apartment. And with my winnings, now I have everything.”
Show me the money!
The prize is worth 60,000 kroner a month over a period of 60 months.
And the Greenlandic winner refused to believe he had won until the money appeared in his account.
“I’ve been in the bank and they have confirmed it. It’s really strange, but it’s a wonderful experience,” he said.
