Who has that one winning ticket? That question is on Nuenen’s mind now that it has become known that the main prize of the State Lottery has been won in the village. One of the residents won 15 million euros in the New Year’s Eve draw. In the meantime, there is a lot of speculation in the village about who the lucky winner is.
The news about the main prize has now filtered through. But they don’t yet know in Nuenen who exactly is behind the winning ticket. “It could really be anyone,” says a boy who gets a hangover breakfast at the supermarket after a long New Year’s night. “I didn’t have a destiny, so it’s definitely not me,” he adds, laughing.
The winning ticket consists of two half tickets. As a result, the main prize of 30 million euros is split into two times 15 million euros, tax-free. No one knows for now who will receive the amount of money. “I wouldn’t tell anyone right away if I won,” says a resident. “You’d rather keep it to yourself for a while.”
“Money prizes worth millions have been won in Nuenen before.”
Some residents did have a ticket, but missed out on the main prize. “We received a lottery ticket as a gift. We won ten euros and immediately handed it in,” says a woman, laughing as she accepts half the amount from her husband. “That is not close to 15 million, but we are satisfied with it.”
Other residents did not participate at all. “The chance of you winning is so small that I won’t take the risk,” says one man. A fellow villager adds: “In Nuenen, cash prizes worth millions have been won before. You would say that the luck for a village also runs out at some point.” Yet this year she did have a destiny. “Sure. Hope gives life.”
“If you suddenly have a lot of money, that always changes people.”
In the meantime, many Nuenen residents’ fantasies strike. What would they do with such an amount? “Have a big party,” says a man visiting his mother in Nuenen. “Lots of drinks, lots of food.” Another thinks bigger: “If you get 15 million tax-free, I won’t continue to live in an apartment in Nuenen. Then I’ll go to a warmer place.”
Whether the village ultimately notices who the winner is remains to be seen. “Maybe an expensive car or another house,” says a resident. “When you suddenly have a lot of money, it always changes people a little.” But for now, according to residents, it is still too early for that. “Maybe we’ll hear about it later through the grapevine.” For the time being, only the winner himself knows who can call himself a millionaire.
