Hungarian hobo hero

Homeless man wins $2.8 million on lottery and vows to help addicts and abused women
Metro UK - February 16, 2014

László Andraschek won Hungary’s biggest ever lottery jackpot – 630million Hungarian forint – after buying a ticket at a railway station on his way to Budapest for a workshop for recovering alcoholics.

‘I had only picked six numbers and the female shop assistant reminded me that I needed to pick a seventh,’ he said. ‘I told her to make it 24 – it doesn’t matter anyway.’

The first thing married Mr Andraschek did after realising his life had changed forever was to repay debts to his family – and buy a car for his three children.

‘When the car salesman asked me how much I would be willing to spend I held up three fingers,’ the 55-year-old, from Győr, north-west Hungary, said.

‘As I had arrived on a bike he assumed this meant 300,000 forints, but actually I meant 3million.’

He and his wife Anikó said they would spend the money wisely.

‘I have become rich but I have not become a different person,’ he said.

A large portion of the cash will be used to set up a foundation for addicts and women abused by their husbands.

Mr Andraschek has already proven his generosity as the win last September remained a secret until he made a sizeable donation to a hostel for the homeless this month.

The 55-year-old gave up drinking five years ago and insists he now has ‘no need to return’.