Loose-change lottery ticket wins businessman £60m

You do not generally expect much when you buy a hot dog except a taste of pig and some drips down your shirt. Larry Ross, however, got a mega-million-dollar lottery jackpot.

Nor do you expect to lose weight from eating hot dogs. "I haven't eaten in three days," said Mr Ross, 47, yesterday. "Win the lottery and lose weight."

Mr Ross, the owner of a small swimming pool business in Michigan, came forward yesterday as one of two winners of a $363m (£242m) pay-out, the largest ever made in the history of American lottery games.

He was feeling peckish in a shopping mall when he spotted the hot dog stall. Finding he only had a $100 bill, he paid with it any way and asked for his $98 change in lottery tickets. Then it seemed a crazy idea; now, it is the best idea he ever had.

The only other winning ticket was bought in Illinois, but no one has come forward with it.

Because Mr Ross and his wife, Nancy, opted to take their winnings in a lump sum, they should in fact end up with $90m. But that is enough to change their lives. And they know it. Mrs Ross wants a Jaguar and Mr Ross is thinking of "starting a new job - playing golf".

They seemed set on being sensible. "We don't have security like rich people," Mr Ross said. "We're going to deposit the money; we're not going to do anything rash."

When the draw was made on Tuesday, the couplecopied the numbers incorrectly. Then they thought to double-check. State lottery officials recalled getting a call the next day from "a remarkably quiet, calm man".