African migrant punts last euros on lotto ticket and wins big

An African migrant probably already felt like he had hit the proverbial jackpot by making it to Europe — but now he has a bona fide jackpot to his name after winning more than $600,000 in Spain's annual Christmas lottery.

The Senegalese man, only identified as Ngame, 35, will share in the $948 million "El Gordo" prize pool with other ticket-holders in his coastal town of Roquetas de Mar which took out first prize, La Voz de Almeria reports.

Ngame reportedly only had $7 to his name when he took the punt that ended up paying off to the tune of $602,000.

The migrant said that he wanted "to give thanks to Spaniards and the Spanish government" for rescuing him when he sought asylum in Europe.

Ngame said that he and his wife were saved by the Spanish coast guard in 2007 as their overcrowded boat made the perilous journey from the west coast of Africa to Spain's Canary Islands.