It was a day that will be etched in the memories of four lucky Scotland football fans forever - and what a boost it's given them as they bask in the euphoria of their team's historic World Cup victory over Haiti. In a heart-stopping twist, two father-and-son pairs checked their raffle tickets during the ninth inning of a Boston Red Sox baseball game, only to find out they'd scooped an astonishing $10,677 (approximately £8,400) - enough to keep the celebrations going for weeks!
The news was too much to take in for Paul Innes, one of the sons who picked up the winning ticket. "We had to do a double take... The numbers matched," he exclaimed, still trying to process his good fortune. "It's just surreal. It's not really sunk in yet." The windfall came on the back of Scotland's morale-boosting 1-0 victory over Haiti, their first World Cup match in 28 years.
The sheer scale of Scottish support has left an indelible mark on Boston. Local pubs have been inundated with trade, with some even running out of beer and having to restock in the aftermath of Sunday's game. Noelle Somers, Chief Operating Officer at Hennessy’s Bar in central Boston, told the Boston Globe that their takings after Scotland v Haiti tripled those on St Patrick's Day - a feat they never thought possible. "We’ve been here for over 30 years and we’ve never seen anything like it," she beamed.
But it's not just about the cash; the Scottish fans have brought a slice of Glasgow culture to Boston, leaving their own unique mark on the city. Traffic cones adorned statues across town - a quirky tradition familiar to anyone who's been to Glasgow - and even attempted to crown a statue of US founding father Samuel Adams with one, showing the light-hearted spirit of the travelling support.
With Scotland set to take on Morocco next in the World Cup, thousands more will be descending upon Foxborough near Boston, ready to give their team another rousing cheer. The party's far from over for these loyal fans!