Life changing

Welsh winner goes around the world

A rugby-mad couple from Pontypool are planning a first class round-the-world trip after winning on EuroMillions Mega Friday. Stephen and Keri Chick are yet to decide on where to stop on their travels, but they knew where to go straight after their win – back to work.

Lorry driver Stephen didn't want to let his boss down, so despite having banked £1 million and the amazing trip, decided to get back on the road. Keri also returned to work as an administrator in the NHS after celebrating the win with a night out watching rugby down their local.

The couple did splash out on two brand new Welsh rugby shirts and they were thrilled to be able to celebrate their win with Wales and Lions rugby legend, Ieaun Evans, at the Welsh rugby team's HQ at the Vale Resort.

Stephen checked his ticket in store and was told to contact Camelot. He said: "The woman in the shop scanned my ticket and called her manager over. They made me sign it straight away, and said I needed to go home and call Camelot. When they confirmed that I'd won £1 million and a first class trip around the world, I started to cry, I was so overwhelmed."

Stephen hid the winning ticket underneath a pile of clothes in his bedroom drawer, and that is where it stayed until the following Friday, when he was able to take the day off work to meet a Camelot Winners' Adviser - and the bank manager.

Stephen said, "I had a really busy week in work; I didn't want to let my boss down so I worked Monday to Thursday as normal. It was a very strange week and I was convinced I couldn't possibly have won. It was only when the bank manager said that the money was on its way to my account that it really sunk in."

Neither of the pair are planning to leave work, but they hope that they will be allowed time off so that they can take their trip as soon as possible. The couple have three grown-up sons and ten grandchildren, and are planning to give each of their children a lump sum to help them get on the property ladder.

Despite living in Pontypool, Stephen travels all over the country for work and the winning EuroMillions ticket was actually bought in Reading.

The amazing EuroMillions Mega Friday draws take place on the last Friday of each month. They create multiple £1 million winners who will also receive life-changing prizes as they start their millionaire life. On Friday 30 January, 10 players won a guaranteed £1 million prize and a first class trip around the world to either Singapore-Sydney-New York, Bangkok-New Zealand-LA or Hong Kong-Fiji-Miami. Every Mega Friday winner has the choice of either taking the once-in-a-life-time trip or a cash alternative, as well as the £1million. Stephen and Keri have yet to decide which of these amazing trips they will take.

Could you be our next big winner? Play EuroMillions today.

The National Lottery has been changing the lives of winners and supporting good causes across the UK since 1994. In that time, there have been more than 7,000 new millionaires created and by playing The National Lottery you raise over £4 million for Good Causes every dayΔ.

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