Italy's record jackpot climbs to euro135.9 million as lotto fever spreads

(17 Aug 2009)
1. Deserted streets in Rome
2. Exterior of cafe in central Rome
3. Wide interior of caf� with betting desk for 'Enalotto' lottery
4. People playing lottery
5. Placard reading "Jackpot 135.9 million euros"
6. Various close-up shots of person filling betting form
7. Close-up of betting forms
8. SOUNDBITE: (Italian), Andrea (only name given), lottery player
"I want to become like Silvio Berlusconi (Italian Prime Minister), I want to have his same life, having fun, as I didn't have the chance to do it for my entire life."
9. Poster reading 'SuperEnalotto'
10. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Maria, (only name given), lottery player
"My husband told me 'as you are already there, why don't you bet?' So I threw two euros on it. But the real problem is that the jackpot is too much money. What shall I do with so much money?"
11. Close shot, person betting
12. People queueing to bet
STORYLINE:
Italians and foreigners were on Monday hoping to be the first to win the top prize in Italy's state lottery game since January and take home nearly 136 (m) million euros, equivalent to 194 (m) million US dollars.
The odds of guessing the winning six-number combination in the Superenalotto game Monday night are about 1 in 622 million, but the severity of the odds is not thought to be dampening lotto fever.
One woman buying lottery tickets in Rome suggested that the jackpot was too large, and that she would not know what to do with so much money.
A man said he wanted "to become like (Italian Prime Minister) Silvio Berlusconi" and spend his life having fun.
Italy's record-breaking state lottery last Thursday once again disappointed millions of Italians as well as foreigners who had crossed the border to join the hunt for the rising jackpot.
No one guessed the winning six-number combination of the Superenalotto game and the highest prize ever offered by the Italian lottery grew to euro 135.9 million, or 194 (m) million US dollars.
No one has picked the winning numbers since January, and now the Superenalotto jackpot is Italy's biggest ever and, according to Italian news reports, the biggest in Europe, as well.
Draws are held three times a week.
On Sunday, 130 Germans flew on charter planes to Rimini, on the Adriatic Sea, to buy tickets. They won free plane tickets in a German newspaper contest.
Austrians, Croats and Slovenes living close to Italy crossed the border last week to try their luck, the Austria Press Agency reported on Thursday.
French visitors were driving into neighbouring northwest Italy for a chance to play the numbers lotto, many Germans have been sighted in resort towns of Lake Maggiore buying tickets, and Superenalotto tickets appeared to be as popular as postcards in many Venice souvenir shops.
Other foreigners catching lotto fever were enjoying already planned vacations in Italy.
The cost is 1 euro (1.42 US dollars) for the chance to choose two combinations of six winning numbers.
In places like Naples, where a favourite pastime is interpreting dreams in terms of numbers, many people preferred to choose their own.
But players can also purchase tickets with two random sets of numbers already printed on them.

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