Zingem, Belgium – A group of 21 friends are celebrating an extraordinary stroke of luck after winning a staggering €123 million EuroMillions jackpot on Friday, instantly transforming them into multimillionaires.
A collective win unlike any other, this isn’t a single winner, but a shared fortune among a close-knit group of friends.
The winning numbers – 14, 18, 31, 35, and 46, with lucky stars 7 and 11 – were validated at a bakery that also functions as a lottery retailer in Zingem, East Flanders. The news spread quickly Friday evening, prompting many of the winners to gather and celebrate their incredible fortune.
“I received a call from one of them. He invited me to toast with champagne to celebrate this excellent news,” said Redgy, the bakery manager, who knows all 21 winners. “I had to hurry to be at the bakery on time, because at 2:30 a.m. duty called,” he continued, adding with a touch of playful regret, “Unluckily, I’m not part of the group.”
Ivan, one of the winners, initially didn’t know the full extent of their winnings when he arrived at eric’s café. “I don’t know, I don’t know how much we’re going to have to share,” he wondered before learning that the 21 friends would each receive €5.8 million.
The windfall wasn’t without a touch of bittersweet reflection for some. Fernand, a winner who has faced health challenges, shared, “I would have preferred to be in good health. I’ve been struggling for years and I would have preferred to be in good health rather than this large sum of money. For the past year and a half, I’ve been struggling a bit. With this money,we will at least be able to make our children and grandchildren happy.”
Tom, another lucky winner, recounted a chaotic awakening. “I was sleeping peacefully and got up to go to the bathroom. I looked at my phone and saw 15 missed calls,” he said. A quick phone call confirmed the unbelievable news: “You won 5.8 million!” Despite the late hour, Tom rushed to Eric’s café to celebrate, but found sleep elusive upon his return home.
Eric explained the group’s strategy.”We only played with four racks. We had missed Tuesday’s draw. Friday, there were 21 of us playing. Everyone put in five euros and we registered four racks at the Taerwe bakery, just a little further away.” His wife, Kim, discovered their win when checking the tickets. “She then looked at the numbers and started screaming with joy. She couldn’t even pronounce a word anymore,” Eric reported.
Explanation of Changes & Answers to Questions:
* Why: A group of 21 friends in Zingem, Belgium, participated in a EuroMillions lottery pool.
* Who: 21 friends from Zingem, Belgium, won the €123 million EuroMillions jackpot. Key individuals mentioned are Eric (whose café was a gathering point), Kim (who discovered the win), Redgy (the bakery manager), Ivan, Fernand, and Tom (winners who shared their reactions).
* What: The group won a €123 million EuroMillions jackpot, with each member receiving approximately €5.8 million.
* How: The group pooled their money (€5 each) to purchase four lottery ticket “racks” at the Taerwe bakery. Kim, Eric’s wife, checked the tickets and discovered the winning numbers.
* How did it end?: The article ends with the explanation of how the group played and the initial reaction to the win. The future use of the
