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Million pound scratch card win 'not true'

 There was speculation yesterday that there had been a million pound scratch card win in west Belfast
 There was speculation yesterday that there had been a million pound scratch card win in west Belfast  There was speculation yesterday that there had been a million pound scratch card win in west Belfast

SPECULATION was rife in west Belfast yesterday that one of its residents had just scratched his way to a million pounds.

Reports circulated on social media that there had been a million pound scratch card bought in the M and D Crawford Spar on the Whiterock Road and it wasn't long before people were speculating as to who the lucky winner was.

But the good news was short-lived after it emerged that the win was not to be.

A spokeswoman for the store last night told The Irish News that the reports were "not true".

"It was a false alarm, apparently the guy thought he had won and posted it on Facebook," she said.

"But then he realised afterwards that he hadn't won at all.

"There's been so many people in asking all about it, but unfortunately it's not true."

New figures released yesterday reveal there had been 81 residents of Northern Ireland who have become millionaires in the last 20 years through playing the National Lottery.

The statistics also show that another 647 people living in the north have won more than £50,000.

Research from online bingo and casino brand, Fortune, also shows that Belfast is the ninth luckiest city in the UK.

It analysed data of towns and cities where residents were most likely to scoop a win, with Leeds topping the 'League of Luck', with players winning a staggering 304 times a month.

Thursday proved the luckiest day of the week for those living in Belfast to have a go playing games online, with players in the city pocketing a collective £1.6 million a month.