"The numbers matched. I think we checked three or four times. It's just surreal." That was Paul Innes, one of four Scotland supporters who stumbled into a $10,677 windfall at a Boston Red Sox game on Sunday — and honestly, it's the most Scotland story imaginable.
Two father-and-son duos bought the winning raffle ticket at the ninth inning inside the packed Red Sox stadium, a day after Scotland's 1-0 win over Haiti marked the country's first World Cup appearance in 28 years. The Tartan Army had taken over Boston, and apparently that extended to America's national pastime too.
The timing couldn't be better
World Cup tickets aren't cheap. Thousands of dollars per seat, travel costs, accommodation — following your national team to a tournament on the other side of the Atlantic is a serious financial commitment. Getting $10,677 dropped in your lap mid-trip doesn't just soften the blow. It probably covers it.
The group now turns their attention to Friday, when Scotland face Morocco at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough. Tens of thousands of their compatriots will be there to roar them on — flush with good vibes from a winning start and, in the case of these four, a little extra cash in their pockets.
Scotland at a World Cup. Winning matches. Fans winning raffles at baseball games. It really hasn't sunk in — and not just for Paul Innes.
