I thought I won £100k lottery jackpot but then EuroMillions put me on hold… they told me the truth & my heart sank
A LOTTO player has opened up about how he thought he’d won a £100,000 jackpot – until the call taker put him on hold.
Dave Williams, 58, said he was convinced he’d landed the six-figure sum – and was already celebrating.
The Cardiff man said he quickly phoned the National Lottery, excitedly telling the call taker he thought he’d won big.
Dave said he was already counting his blessings as he’d been battling cancer, and his wife Sarah had a “catalogue” of health problems.
The grandad said a jackpot win couldn’t come at a better time for the pair – then the call taker put him on hold.
The news they gave him made his heart sink – as he’d actually scooped a massive £1million.
Dave said: “When the gentleman came back on the line to say ‘Mr Williams, you said you’ve won £100,000’ and paused, my heart really sank, only to leap once more when he continued ‘I’m pleased to tell you, you’ve actually won £1m’.
“I’d always hoped and dreamed I’d win a life-changing amount on the National Lottery, but in all my daydreams, while there have been many ways I thought I’d celebrate this sort of news, swearing loudly for a good five minutes wasn’t one of them.”
Sarah said she was convinced her husband was “winding her up”.
She said: “Now when I see all those noughts in the bank account, I know it’s for real.
“I didn’t think anything could be more exciting than my son and his girlfriend giving us our first grandchild last year, but I think this is coming in a close second.”
Dave had been battling throat cancer in recent years, and had undergone an “extensive and aggressive treatment” – then had to have a reconstructive surgery.
Then, when he was on the mend, wife Sarah, 55, was diagnosed with a list of health issues – including an inflammatory spinal condition.
Dave said they had “both had it tough in recent years so we’re not wasting any time, we know that every minute is a gift”.
He recalled: “Just when I was on the mend, Sarah was treated for a catalogue of problems including spondylitis, an inflammation of the spine which is affecting her freedom of movement and putting her in almost constant pain.
UK's biggest lottery winners
By Ethan Singh
- Anonymous winner – £195,707,000
A UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022 – the biggest National Lottery win of all time.
The holder, who remains anonymous to this day, amassed the fortune with just one lucky ticket.
- Joe and Jess Thwaite – £184,262,899.10
Britain’s previous EuroMillions record holders were Joe and Jess Thwaite.
The couple won a record-breaking £184million jackpot in May 2022 and shared hopes of a Hawaiian holiday and a new horse box for their children’s ponies.
Joe bought his winning ticket online on May 10, 2022, and the following morning received an email with good news.
As he learnt of the huge win, he was in disbelief and initially kept it for himself as he did not want to disturb his wife, who was sleeping.
Joe, a communications sales engineer, and Jess, who runs a hairdressing salon with her sister, have been married for 11 years and have two children.
- Colin and Chris Weir, £161,653,000
Colin and Christine Weir landed the colossal prize money in 2011 and were Europe’s second-biggest winners until someone in Italy won a jackpot worth £193m in 2019.
They splashed the cash at an astounding rate of £100,000 a week before tragedy struck.
But at the time of Colin’s death in December 2019 his share of the prize money had dwindled by around £40m.
He spent the millions living a life of luxury, forking out for sports cars, property and the football club he supported.
Colin and Christine divorced shortly before his death after being married for 38 years.
He left money for their children Carly and Jamie.
- Adrian and Gillian Brayford – £148,600,000
Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million.
But Adrian split from Gillian the following year because of the stress of the win.
The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021.
After divorcing in 2013, he failed to woo ex-sausage factory worker Marta Jarosz — but fell for stable girl Sam Burbidge.
She left him in 2017, taking 30 prize horses Adrian bought.
It might have worked out in the end for Adrian though as the former postman was seen smiling with ambulance worker Tracey Biles last year.
- Frances and Patrick Connolly – £114,969,775
Former social worker and teacher Frances set up two charitable foundations after she and her husband hit the jackpot.
They scooped almost £115 million on New Year’s Day 2019.
She estimates that she has already given away £60 million to charitable causes, as well as friends and family.
- Richard and Debbie Nuttall – £61,000,000
The couple from Colne, Lancashire, took home £61 million on January 30 2024.
Both 54, they were enjoying a holiday in Fuerteventura, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.
But they then discovered the big EuroMillions win.
Richard revealed they originally thought they had won £2.60, but then received another email telling the pair to check their account.
Other eye-watering anonymous winners:
- 2019 – £123million
Another anonymous winner scooped up a prize of £123,458,008 in the June Superdraw rollover.
- 2021 – £122million
Following nine rollovers, one ticketholder bagged the £122,550,350 jackpot last April.
The successful participant chose to remain anonymous.
- 2018 – £121million
Another anonymous winner found their fortune during the Superdraw jackpot rollover in April 2018, securing £121,328,187.
“While it’s been really tough, we’re still here; this win feels like the light at the end of a very long tunnel and for once, it’s not the train coming towards us.”
The pair now plan to buy their dream home, travel around the UK and then eventually the world – once Sarah’s over her fear of flying.
Dave plans to hand his business to his daughter and retire, too.
He said: “We’ve worked hard all our lives and enjoyed the fruits of that hard work, but this win will certainly make the next phase of our life that bit easier.
“We’ll invest a big chunk for the future and then, once we have found the dream home, we fully intend to explore more of Wales and the rest of the UK in our campervan.
“Sarah also plans to overcome her fear of flying so that we can visit the list of overseas destinations which seems to be growing by the minute.”