Life changing

Derby couple wake up to £1Million

A couple from Derby are still in a daze after landing a life-changing £1Million on EuroMillions UK Millionaire Maker.

Wake up when you win!

James O’Donnell, 35, of Littleover only just started playing The National Lottery games in April 2018. It was late on the evening of the draw when he discovered he’d won £1Million, but he decided to let his partner Victoria sleep and tell her the good news when she woke up.

“With the recent heatwave I like many people have had difficulty sleeping. On the night of the draw, I finally went to bed at about 1am. I picked up my phone to take it upstairs and noticed I had an email from The National Lottery. I checked my account, assuming it would be some sort of admin thing, but that’s when I saw I’d won £1Million.”

Dazed and confused James just stared at all the zeros in £1,000,000.00, contemplating what to do next.

“Victoria was asleep and had an early start the next morning, so I decided to leave her as I knew neither of us would be able to sleep. I just sat there all night. The next morning, Victoria was getting ready for work and I told her what had happened and that we’d won. We both just sat there in disbelief wondering whether or not it was a hoax and decided to carry on as normal until I could speak to The National Lottery helpline.”

Surprised stranger

The couple have celebrated with friends and family but James said they didn’t tell anyone for over a week – just one complete stranger in the supermarket.

“I was shopping in Sainsburys in the Intu Centre the day after the draw and there was an old chap in front of me buying his lottery tickets. I don’t know why but I just said; ‘Good Luck’ He replied by saying no one ever wins and I said that I had, just the night before. He asked; ‘How much?’ and I just said ‘big’. He was the only person I told other than Victoria. So hopefully he will see our photograph and recognise me.”

What’s next?

James said they are now planning on buying their rented house, picking out a new car and taking some holidays.

“I have lived virtually all my life hand to mouth. This win means security for Victoria and I, it will also mean we can provide for our family.”

7th August 2018

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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