The ‘Wight’ stuff: Steven buys £1Million ticket on holiday island
The Isle of Wight has been Steven Bennett’s special place since he was a kid. The 72-year-old Londoner spent his family holidays there as a child and became a frequent visitor after his parents moved to the island 40 years ago.
Now, he has another reason to love the place after becoming a millionaire thanks to a National Lottery Lucky Dip he bought at one of its shops. Steven, a widower who used to work in the recycling industry, won the incredible £1Million prize in the EuroMillions draw held on Friday 2nd May 2025.
He said, “I sometimes buy a couple of Lucky Dips when I’m on the island, but it depends on the queue – if there is one, I won’t bother. When I saw there was no one in front of me it felt like it was my lucky day. I just didn’t realise how lucky until the following week!”
It wasn’t until the Monday after the draw that Steven remembered the EuroMillions ticket in his back pocket. When he checked it using the National Lottery app, he thought he had won £10,000, before realising he’d landed an amazing £1Million prize.
Steven, who has a cheeky sense of humour, waited a bit to tell his family the amazing news. He explained, “I told them to come around for a BBQ back in East London where I was deliberately acting a bit ‘sus’. They knew something was up, so I told my daughter Sally to come back the next day and I’d tell her what was going on.”
When Sally, Steven’s sons John and Tom and his wider family – he has seven grandchildren – were told the news they were all stunned and delighted. Steven said, “Family is everything. That’s why this win is for all of us, not just me.
“I’m in the process of buying a flat in Essex, but I also want to get a place on the Isle of Wight. It’s a special place for all of us and, with a nice house on the island not far from the beach, we can make some special memories together.”
5th August 2025
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