AN OLD-AGE pensioner recently scooped a £1.07million lottery jackpot, but never got the chance to spend any of it.
Jesus Martinez, 88, a former miner who won the Spanish Christmas Lottery in Madrid, had always claimed his lottery luck was foretold by a psychic.
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The fortune teller, he told people, had predicted that one day he would be a millionaire and so he had never given up on buying lottery tickets.
But when the winning day finally came, the Spaniard did not realise his time to spend his new fortune was running out fast.
Jesus had trusted his instincts and won his prize of £1.07million (€1.2million) with his lucky numbers 05490 in the El Gordo draw on 22nd December last year.
The £2billion festive draw has been held annually in the country since 1812, famously turns Brits and Spaniards into millionaires overnight.
It’s the biggest prize pay-out in the world and millions tune in globally to watch the draw live on TV every year.
Lotto chiefs paid out the huge win in instalments and Jesus had only had time to receive his first three instalments.
He had deposited the first two instalments in his bank account and it is still currently unclear what Jesus did with the third instalment, although some reports suggest that he gave it away.
In a cruel twist of fate, the 88-year-old tragically died just four months later after barely touching his winnings.
One of his friends, who has not been named, said: “Unfortunately, he only had four months to enjoy the large prize.”
His friend said that Jesus often said that a gypsy woman had read his cards and predicted that he would be a millionaire, which is why “he always played the lottery”.
The former miner had also been awarded a gold badge from his city council in Aller for his dedication to helping those in the municipality.
Jesus’s cause of death has not been reported.
It is uncertain what will happen to the rest of his winnings, which has yet to be fully paid out.
Elsewhere, a euromillions winner who was just 17 when she scooped the jackpot says she still hasn’t spent all of her winnings – but she does have one regret.
Meanwhile, a lucky man has scooped a third jackpot lottery prize in under 11 months from hedging his bets on the exact same numbers.
Iona Cleave
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