Aegean province seeks new National Lottery millionaire

Inhabitants in the Aegean province of Denizli are seeking the lucky man whose lottery ticket has hit 212 million Turkish Liras ($25,1 million), the highest prize in the history of the National Lottery.

"As soon as it was announced that the ticket with the lucky numbers was bought from us, people came regularly and asked the identity of the millionaire," Emrah Onanç, the owner of the dealer, where the unknown lucky man bought the ticket, told Demirören News Agency on Sept. 15.

"It is a great honor for us that we sold the ticket hitting the highest prize of the lottery's 82 years history, but we do not know the owner of the ticket," he added.

Onanç has put a sign in front of his store showing that the ticket was bought from him.

The lucky numbers were 9, 12, 20, 25, 41, 89 and the joker number was 76 at the draw on Sept. 13.

"We are happy as if we won the lottery. We really wonder about the ticket owner's identity," Onanç noted.

Nevzat Özkan is one such citizen who buys tickets quite often from that dealer.

"I wish I had the ticket with the lucky numbers. But unfortunately, I did not. I will keep buying," Özkan said, adding that he hopes that the highest prize went to someone in need."

"We have witnessed the most exciting draw of the National Lottery history," the National Lottery General Directorate said in a statement on Sept. 14.

Turkey,