Life changing

Isle of Man fisherman lands a prize winner

A fisherman from the Isle of Man has landed the biggest catch of his life by reeling in a £250k win on a National Lottery Scratchcard. Aaron Dickinson, 25, from Douglas, says that 2017 will be his best year ever following the win.

Aaron currently works as a fisherman and sells the scallops he catches to fish markets in Peel. But he now has his sights set on buying a boat of his own and opening his own business.

“The win couldn’t have come at a better time. What a way to start the New Year. It is like all of my dreams have come true overnight. I can buy the boat of my dreams and start my own business.”

Feeling lucky

Aaron bought the £2 Scratchcard in Douglas just because he was feeling lucky. “I bought the £250k Navy Scratchcard with the last £2 I had left in change in my pocket and won £2. So I thought I would buy one more – I was feeling really lucky.

“I went for a walk and just scratched the card as I was walking. I thought initially I had won another £2. And then I saw a 5 and a 0. I screamed, I thought amazing, I have won £250. Things like this don’t happen to people like me. And then I saw all of the zeros and realised it was actually £250k!

“I honestly don’t think I have ever screamed so loudly in all of my life. I was literally screaming all of the way back to the shop – and running as fast as I could at the same time. When the shop confirmed it was a winning ticket I didn’t know whether to scream even louder or just burst into tears.”

Best year

Aaron is now able to make his dreams come true in 2017, something he couldn’t have imagined before the win.

“This will be the year when all of my dreams finally come true following my scratchcard win. I will be able to put a deposit down on my own home – something I never believed I would be able to do – and launch my own fishing business.”

It won’t just be working trips to sea that Aaron will be enjoying. “I obviously want to be sensible and think about the future but I am going to enjoy myself too and may just splash out on a holiday or perhaps go travelling for a few weeks and see a few different places – something which would never have been possible without this win.”

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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