I made a mistake at Tesco checkout but ended up winning £45.5million EuroMillions jackpot – I was £68 overdrawn at time
A LUCKY customer who won a whopping £45 million prize bought the random winning ticket after forgetting his usual lucky numbers.
Les Scadding, 73, from south Wales celebrated becoming the UK’s biggest lottery winner taking half of the Euromillions jackpot over a decade ago.
At the time Les was overdrawn £68 and was an unemployed truck driver – however, the lottery changed Les and his family’s life forever.
Les admitted that when he purchased the ticket he forgot his usual lucky numbers and decided to go for a lucky dip.
He told the Guardian in 2009: “When I asked the people behind the counter to check the numbers, the machine just printed out a pink slip, telling me to contact Camelot.
“I thought I might have won around £50,000, and I rushed home to tell Samantha.”
Les added: “When we realised I had all seven, we nearly dropped the laptop.”
Les and his wife used their whopping prize money to buy a £1.5 million Welsh mansion and a £2 million villa in Barbados.
Les additionally became the chairman of Newport County AFC between 2012 and 2015.
However, the couple’s marriage struggled and the two were divorced just four years after winning the jackpot.
Neither commented publicly on their breakup, but it was reported that one friend who went to the Daily Star said they had different attitudes towards the winnings.
They said: “The money changed Sam. She spent a lot of time in plush hotels in London and Barbados.
“Les was never materialistic, but Sam loves diamonds – she drips in them.”
They added: “I suppose it’s true, money can’t buy you love.”
Life for Les would continue to provide hurdles when he revealed to South Wales Argus that he had also been diagnosed with cancer only five years after winning the jackpot.
He said: “Another downside [in those years] is having cancer.
“I was very lucky with the cancer emergency surgery.
“Somebody’s looking over me.”
Lee who now lives with his new wife, Dee Rogers spends his time in both Wales and Barbados.
Speaking to the National Lottery in 2020, Les said: “The first thing I did was I bought a Range Rover Sport, it was fantastic.
“I had occasions where I didn’t want to be here [in Barbados] and I went home early.”
He added: “Something changed when I met Dee and we came here.
“We do so much together.
“We go on the beach, go to some beautiful restaurants, we play golf.”
Later saying: “It’s just changed my outlook and the way we live. I found myself not only falling in love with her but with Barbados.
“It’s changed my life.”