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| Homeless Hungarian man hits lottery jackpot with his last few coins | Homeless Hungarian man hits lottery jackpot with his last few coins |
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| Unemployed, in debt and facing another year living on the streets in Hungary, László Andraschek spent his last remaining coins on a lottery ticket. Now the formerly homeless man has a choice of accommodation around the world after becoming Hungary's biggest ever lottery winner with a prize of about £1.7m. | Unemployed, in debt and facing another year living on the streets in Hungary, László Andraschek spent his last remaining coins on a lottery ticket. Now the formerly homeless man has a choice of accommodation around the world after becoming Hungary's biggest ever lottery winner with a prize of about £1.7m. |
| Andraschek, whose 630m Hungarian forint win last September went unnoticed until he made a significant donation to a hostel for the homeless this month, said buying the ticket was a chance decision at a railway station on his way to Budapest for a workshop for recovering alcoholics. | Andraschek, whose 630m Hungarian forint win last September went unnoticed until he made a significant donation to a hostel for the homeless this month, said buying the ticket was a chance decision at a railway station on his way to Budapest for a workshop for recovering alcoholics. |
| "I had only picked six numbers and the female shop assistant reminded me that I needed to pick a seventh," he said. "I told her to make it 24 – it doesn't matter anyway." | "I had only picked six numbers and the female shop assistant reminded me that I needed to pick a seventh," he said. "I told her to make it 24 – it doesn't matter anyway." |
| But he was wrong and now plans to use his winnings to establish a foundation for addicts and women abused by their husbands. | But he was wrong and now plans to use his winnings to establish a foundation for addicts and women abused by their husbands. |
| The 55-year-old resident of Győr, north-west Hungary, said his first act was to repay his debts, before cycling to a car dealer. | The 55-year-old resident of Győr, north-west Hungary, said his first act was to repay his debts, before cycling to a car dealer. |
| "When the car salesman asked me how much I would be willing to spend I held up three fingers. As I had arrived on a bike he assumed this meant 300,000 forints, but actually I meant 3m." | "When the car salesman asked me how much I would be willing to spend I held up three fingers. As I had arrived on a bike he assumed this meant 300,000 forints, but actually I meant 3m." |
| As neither he nor his wife can drive, the car will be driven only by his children. | As neither he nor his wife can drive, the car will be driven only by his children. |
| Andraschekhas since bought flats for each of his three children, paid off the debts of his relatives and is planning to travel to Italy, having not previously held a passport. | |
| He and his wife, Anikó, said they will invest their money cautiously and avoid the ruinous spending splurges of many a lottery winner. "I have become rich but I have not become a different person. I could buy a large-screen TV because I can afford it, but I won't buy three because I can afford it." | He and his wife, Anikó, said they will invest their money cautiously and avoid the ruinous spending splurges of many a lottery winner. "I have become rich but I have not become a different person. I could buy a large-screen TV because I can afford it, but I won't buy three because I can afford it." |
| Having struggled with alcoholism, Andraschek finally quit five years ago and says he "now has no need to return". | Having struggled with alcoholism, Andraschek finally quit five years ago and says he "now has no need to return". |
| The news of Andraschek's dramatic upturn in fortunes came as human rights activists organised a wave of protests worldwide against a new law that bans sleeping rough, in a country that has 30,000 homeless people. | The news of Andraschek's dramatic upturn in fortunes came as human rights activists organised a wave of protests worldwide against a new law that bans sleeping rough, in a country that has 30,000 homeless people. |
| Last week alone demonstrations were held in front of Hungarian embassies and consulates in London, Paris, New York, Vienna, Lisbon, Dublin, Brussels, Essen and Istanbul. Next weekend a Hungarian NGO run by homeless people, A Város Mindenkié (The City is for All), will stage another protest in Budapest against the law, which threatens those living on the streets with a fine or imprisonment. | Last week alone demonstrations were held in front of Hungarian embassies and consulates in London, Paris, New York, Vienna, Lisbon, Dublin, Brussels, Essen and Istanbul. Next weekend a Hungarian NGO run by homeless people, A Város Mindenkié (The City is for All), will stage another protest in Budapest against the law, which threatens those living on the streets with a fine or imprisonment. |