I didn’t bother to check my Euromillions ticket after winning £145,000 – when I finally did my heart sank
A COUPLE celebrating their anniversary went to bed completely unaware they had hit the jackpot.
George Muir, 60, and partner Sandra McCormack, 64, did not check their EuroMillions ticket until the next morning – when they realised they had scooped a whopping £145,000.
The pair, from Fife, Scotland, were out celebrating their 28th anniversary when the draw was made on May 3.
And now they took their commemorations to the next level by celebrating their lotto win overlooking the Forth bridges.
Just a few hours before the draw, George, who works for a hydrogen renewable energy company, purchased his Euromillions ticket online.
He told The Courier: “I always play a month in advance and always purchase my tickets online.
“It was 3pm when I suddenly remembered I hadn’t bought my ticket.
“I always go for a lucky dip so I did just that.”
George and Sandra, a grocery worker, were unaware they had won until the next day.
He said: “I was just scrolling, as you do, when I came to an email from The National Lottery telling me that there was news about my ticket.
“I just assumed that if I had won something, it would be a few pounds, so I didn’t rush to log in and check.
“I actually went on to the website to look at the numbers just for the novelty value.
“To my total disbelief, I discovered I had matched the five main numbers and one lucky star number.
“I dropped my phone. My heart was beating so fast.”
George said they plan to spend the cash on a new car, a Rolex watch, and a vacation to enjoy the big win.
The pair also intend to retire early, though not immediately.
George added: “Thanks to my National Lottery win I am now able to do all of those things which I could previously only ever have dreamt of doing.”
It comes after a grandad revealed how he was a lottery winner for a whole week before realising he’d actually landed a £76,000 jackpot.
Recently retired Colin, 59, says his cautious nature could have cost him the cash – but then he spotted a camera crew at his door.
The grandad is among 10 neighbours on his Tyne and Wear street that scooped part of £1million through the People’s Postcode Lottery.
But Colin and partner Gwen say they could have missed out on the sweet £76,923 for being too cautious.
He explained he’d seen emails filling his inbox about the win last week, but quickly deleted them as he thought they were a hoax.
But then he spotted the camera crews near his South Shields’ home.
Colin recalled: “I had two emails from Postcode Lottery and thought, ‘No, this is a scam,’ and deleted them.
“I drove back home, as I’d been swimming this morning, and then I saw the Postcode Lottery camera crew.
“It feels fantastic. I’ve just retired so it’s a bonus.”
What are the rules surrounding Euromillions?
THE EuroMillions lottery is a popular transnational lottery played across several European countries.
Here are the key rules and features:
Participating Countries: The EuroMillions lottery is available in nine European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Draws: Draws take place twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
How to Play: Players choose five main numbers from 1 to 50. They also select two “Lucky Star” numbers from 1 to 12. Alternatively, players can opt for a “Lucky Dip” where numbers are randomly selected.
Winning Combinations: There are 13 prize tiers, ranging from matching just two main numbers to hitting the jackpot by matching all five main numbers and both Lucky Star numbers. The jackpot is won by matching all five main numbers and both Lucky Star numbers.
Jackpot: The minimum guaranteed jackpot starts at €17 million. If the jackpot is not won, it rolls over to the next draw, increasing in value. The maximum jackpot cap is €240 million. Once the cap is reached, if there is no jackpot winner, additional prize money is distributed among winners in the next prize tier.
Ticket Purchase: Players must purchase tickets before the cut-off time, which is typically around 7:30 PM GMT on the day of the draw. Tickets can be bought from authorized retailers or online via official lottery websites.
Age Requirement: Players must be at least 18 years old in most participating countries (16 in the UK).
Taxes: Winnings are tax-free in some participating countries, but in others, they may be subject to taxes. For instance, in Portugal, Switzerland, and Spain, lottery winnings are taxed.
Claiming Prizes: Prizes must be claimed within a specified period, which varies by country. For example, in the UK, winners have 180 days to claim their prize. Smaller prizes can usually be claimed at retail outlets, while larger prizes might require visiting a lottery headquarters or contacting the lottery operator.
Additional Games and Variants: Some countries offer additional games linked to the EuroMillions draw, such as the UK’s Millionaire Maker or France’s My Million, where additional codes are drawn to guarantee supplementary winners.