Woman finds $157,418 lottery ticket while cleaning out her purse
Most people only find trash when they go through their handbags -- chapstick, tissues, receipts from restaurants they're ashamed they visited.
But a woman from Kilkenny, Ireland (who wishes to remain anonymous) found something a little more valuable while cleaning out her purse Sunday night. A lottery ticket, to be precise, worth €139,025 or $157,418 US dollars. The ticket had been in her bag for two weeks.
"My handbag was bulging and I decided to clear the load yesterday," she told reporters at the National Lottery Office on Monday. "There were a few lotto tickets in there. I'd just seen the news that the big jackpot was won in Leitrim but I thought, sure you never know, there might be a few quid on these."
When the woman decided to check her tickets at a nearby store, she was told to contact the National Lottery Office. She had no idea how much she'd won.
"When I found out how much I won, I was absolutely delighted," the woman told reporters.
Most people would be happy if they found an extra roll of dimes or gum that hasn't expired in their purse, let alone a $157,000 lottery ticket.
This is a stern reminder to everyone, everywhere: clean out your purses now. It's worth whatever garbage you'll definitely pick up along the way.
BONUS: Corgi tea party
Heather was the Web Trends reporter at Mashable NYC. Prior to joining Mashable, Heather wrote regularly for UPROXX and GOOD Magazine, was published in The Daily Dot and VICE, and had her work featured in Entertainment Weekly, Jezebel, Mic, and Gawker. She loves small terrible dogs and responsible driving. Follow her on Twitter @wear_a_helmet.
