By Duncan Kennedy

BBC News, Italy



The supermarket expects to hand out around 700,000 lottery cards

An Italian supermarket chain has launched a lottery with a difference - the prize is a job.

Lotteries in Italy are known for their gigantic payouts. One recent prize in the state-run Superenalotto was a huge 146.9m euros (£128.3m; $211.8m).

But the winners in this one will instead be offered one of 10 jobs guaranteed for a year at one of the company's stores.

The winning tickets are to be drawn next month.

The unusual lottery is being run by a supermarket chain based at Varese in northern Italy.

For the next month anyone who spends about 28 euros ($40; £24) on groceries will get a lottery ticket for a job.

All 10 places on offer come with contracts that could be renewable.

To be eligible, participants must be over 18 and residents of Italy.

The supermarket says it expects to hand out around 700,000 lottery cards.

Although bosses are not matching the prize of the recent nationwide lottery, in the current economic climate the winners of its prize draw may well feel like they have won the jackpot as well.