Chance chat leads Glasgow man to claim £1m lotto prize Published duration 27 January 2016

A man has collected a £1m lottery prize at a Glasgow bookmakers after a chance conversation with a taxi driver.

The man in his 60s, who does not want to be named, was unaware he had bought the winning Irish Lotto ticket at a Ladbrokes shop in the Parkhead area.

He only checked his ticket after a taxi driver told him about the unclaimed win as they drove past the shop.

The man and his wife, who are recently retired, now plan to take a trip to Australia and a Caribbean cruise.

Ladbrokes appealed last week for the holder of the winning ticket, worth £1,018,020, to come forward and claim the prize.

'Turned to jelly'

The winner, who is from the east end of Glasgow, said: "I was travelling along Tollcross Road and the cabbie said a lucky punter won a million in that Ladbrokes shop.

"I replied saying I play the Irish Lotto in that shop but haven't checked my ticket yet.

'I got home, checked the numbers on the internet and immediately turned to jelly, before asking my wife what would you do if you were become millionaires."

The winner described the win as a "life-changing sum of money".

Alex Donohue, of Ladbrokes, said: "If the cabbie had struck up a conversation about football or the weather our millionaire might still be out there.

"Thankfully for him the mystery jackpot winner came to mind as they drove past the shop and the rest his history."

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