Record Lottery Win

If the saying is true that it is fashionable to be late then Angela Kelly must be right up there with Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss, because the forty year old didn't come forward to claim the biggest ever National Lottery prize in Britain until three days after the EuroMillions draw, which took place on Friday 10 August. Okay, so she didn't realise that she'd won until she read in the paper that the £35.4 million prize was still uncliamed and decided to check the ticket that was hiding in her handbag, but I still think that keep us all in suspense for a few days was pretty cool, accidental as that might have been.

Angela's win not only makes her the new record-holder for the biggest lottery payout to a UK player, but also helps Britain catch up with other European countries as far as big EuroMillions wins are concerned. For years a number of Brits (including myself) have watched jackpot after jackpot being won by players in Belgium and France and wondering why there could be more winners in this sceptred isle. The answer, of course, is quite logical - Britain is fairly small country and there are more EuroMillions players in all the other participating countries as there are here. The chances are, therefore, that other countries combined will win more often than players in the UK.

That said, it's particularly nice to see a major prize (those who like attention to detail will be interested to hear that the exact amount won was £35,425,411.80) going to someone local. Angela lives in Glasgow and will remain living in the area in order to avoid distrupting the school life of her 14 year old son, although she has said that she will buy a new house. She also plans to buy a new car (she wants a Seat Ibiza whilst her son is trying to convince her to get a Mercedes) and travel to Canada and Hawaii. Obviously there will still be a considerable amount of change left out of £35.4 million, so I think Angela will be expanding her shopping list for a while yet.

It may be some time before the next big EuroMillions jackpot is won by a British player, so for now let's congratulate Angela Kelly and wish her well as she sets out to live a life of luxury.

Article Last Updated: 21/08/2007 15:10:27

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