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| What's it like to be a big winner? How would it change your life? Find out from the winners themselves as we reveal their stories and discover what they plan to do with their winnings. |
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Keen fisherman Mark Weir, from Darlington, has landed the catch of his life, after netting the £2,778,125 Lotto jackpot on Wednesday 21st May.
Mark, who works at a plastic extrusion factory, and his wife, Julie, cannot believe their luck in winning such a life-changing amount of money. Mark woke around 8am on Thursday 22nd May and decided to check his tickets on Teletext, before getting ready for work.
Mark said: "I saw the numbers come up on the TV and was sure they were the same as the ones on my ticket. I called Julie and she didn't believe me when I said we'd won the jackpot. We checked our numbers over and over again before realising that we could be millionaires. Waiting for The National Lottery office to open felt like the longest half hour of our lives."
The Lotto win means that the couple and their two children, Jack and Sadie, can afford things that they may only have dreamt of before. For Mark and Julie the news of the win is still sinking and they have not had chance to even begin thinking about how they will enjoy their new fortune - apart from Julie who has already decided that she would love a dream shopping trip to New York.
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| Martin Adamson £1,477,059 |
A recently-married Plymouth couple are now looking forward to a lifetime of happiness without a single financial 'hitch' - after winning a £1,477,059 share of the Lotto jackpot on Saturday 10th May.
Martin Adamson, a Royal Navy weapons engineer, and his new wife, Hannah, a student teacher, are now planning to start their future in style with a romantic honeymoon to Las Vegas and Hawaii. After getting married on Sunday 4th May just outside Plymouth, they could not go away straight away because Martin had to attend a course. More importantly, the Lotto win means they can now afford their dream home - the lucky couple are expecting their first child in November and thought they would have to move out of their own house and into Navy quarters when the baby was born.
Martin said: "I saw the numbers come up on the TV. I thought they looked familiar but went to check them online. I called up to Hannah who was in the bath at the time. She didn't believe me when I said we'd won the jackpot. Winning the lottery has been the perfect end to a dream week. We got married, we're looking forward to the birth of our first child, and now we can buy a house and have a honeymoon!"
Martin - who chose his winning numbers from family birthdays - has played Lotto since its launch over 13 years ago and recently switched to playing online. He now joins the interactive winners' club - and is one of the 4 million-plus winners every week on The National Lottery's range of draw-based games and Scratchcards. |
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A grandmother from Nantyglo has become the latest 'Golden Gwent' winner, after scooping a Thunderball jackpot of £250,000 on Saturday 3rd May. Retired factory-worker Eileen Jones, a grandmother of eight, has lived alone in a council flat in Nantyglo since her husband died 11 years ago. Eileen knew of her amazing windfall after she returned home from a Bank Holiday break and checked her numbers on Teletext.
Eileen said: "I had to check the numbers over and over again, because I didn't believe it could be right. I phoned my two sons, Glyn and Robert, and they came over straight away to double check the numbers for me. I am still in shock!"
"I can't believe I have won this sort of money - my late husband was a miner and I worked in a factory. We always got by and had the odd holiday but I never dreamed I would have this much. When my husband died, I had to sell our house and have since moved to a council flat. Now I've got £250,000, I can't wait to buy a house of my own!"
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A couple from Eastbourne have laid down some very solid foundations for the future after scooping a £2,367,330 share of the Lotto jackpot on Saturday 29th March.
John and Jacqui Pinyoun have been playing The National Lottery since it began and can't believe they have now actually won the jackpot. The couple are already starting to plan how to celebrate their win with a new Mini convertible for Jacqui top of the list. A holiday to New Zealand to visit old friends is also on the cards.
John, a Branch Manager at a builder merchants and Jacqui, a Sales Assistant, were delighted to have their Saturday night dinner interrupted when John realised he had matched all six lucky numbers.
John said: "We were watching the Lotto draw, eating cod and chips like we do every week. The first three balls were drawn, and I said to Jacqui that we'd won £10. Then the fourth, fifth and sixth numbers were drawn and we had them all! We couldn't believe it, we were so excited we couldn't finish our dinner and put the rest of it in the bin!"
"We didn't leave the house all evening. We just phoned some close family members and told them the good news. That evening, I put the ticket in my dressing table draw, which is right next to my bed, as I didn't want to let it out of my sight!"
"This is a really exciting win, not just for us but for the rest of the family, especially our three children as we want to look after them just as they have looked after us over the years."
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| Norman Davidson £10,000* a year for 10 years |
A Carlisle truck driver is looking forward to extra special birthday celebrations for the next decade, after scratching his way to the top prize of £10,000* every birthday for 10 years on The National Lottery's Birthday Bonus Scratchcard.
In a twist of fate, Norman Davidson, was actually given the Scratchcard as a gift on his birthday on 10th March. After opening his birthday card from partner, Carolyn Forester, he scratched the enclosed Birthday Bonus Scratchcard and discovered he will be banking a cheque for £10,000 every birthday for the next 10 years, as well as winning £1,000 now.
Norman chose Brunton Park - the home of his beloved football club Carlisle United - as the venue to celebrate his win. Now Norman, Carolyn and children, Scott, Christopher and Joanne, are looking forward to being able to splash the cash on a little more luxury, with a new car and a family holiday to Greece topping their shopping list. The down-to-earth driver also insists that he will keep on trucking and intends to put some of his birthday windfall away for a 'rainy day'.
Norman said: "Carolyn and I had gone to Blackpool with our teenage son Scott for the weekend before my birthday. On the way back we stopped off at Tebay Services and, as I later found out, Carolyn saw the Birthday Bonus Scratchcard and bought it for me.
"Family and friends were all gathered round on my birthday so I decided to do the Scratchcard there and then. I was more surprised than anyone when I realised I'd matched the months to win the top prize. I nearly fell off my chair!"
*The top prize of £10,000 every birthday for 10 years is subject to UK tax as applicable. |
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