Leroy Bagley Revealed As £3.8 Million Lotto Winner
Last Updated: Wednesday 23rd September 2020, 13:59
Leroy Bagley, a 42-year-old BT engineer from Southsea, Portsmouth, has been revealed as the winner of the £3.8 million Lotto jackpot following the draw on Saturday night. The father-of-one has described winning the seven-figure windfall as “quite astonishing” and “a bit of a whirlwind”.
“It Hasn’t Quite Registered Yet“
The lucky ticket holder’s Quick Pick entry matched all six numbers – 6, 26, 32, 37, 42 and 59 – in the draw on 16th March. There were over one million winners overall, including a recipient of £1 million who matched five numbers and the Bonus Ball 38. Bagley bought his winning entry from a Tesco Express near his home in Southsea whilst purchasing a birthday present for his step-dad.
He told friends he couldn’t afford to go to the pub with them on the Sunday afternoon after the draw, shortly before he checked his winning Lotto ticket. He said: “I was feeling a bit skint so was readying myself for a quiet day. I turned on the radio and heard an ad for the Lotto, which reminded me to check my ticket.”
He initially thought he had won £3,800, soon realising he had in fact won a much greater prize. Trying to find the words to describe his big win as he still comes to terms with what has happened, Bagley explained: “It’s quite astonishing. It hasn’t quite registered yet. I woke up the other morning and sat in bed, just taking it all in.”
The ecstatic winner quit his job three days after the draw once his win had been confirmed by Camelot, the official National Lottery operator in the UK. Reflecting on that moment, the father-of-one revealed: “Camelot asked me to sign the back of the ticket, which I couldn’t do because my hands were shaking so much. It’s been a crazy couple of days. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind. When Camelot verified the ticket, I handed my resignation in. I didn’t want to push the button on that email until I knew it was real.”
Plans to Help Parents and Daughter
The now multi-millionaire, who decided to go public with his big win rather than stay anonymous, said the fact he was able to provide financial support to his mum, dad and 15-year-old daughter was one of the best feelings. He stated: “Being able to have a drink with my mum and tell her that she never had to worry about money ever again was magic and really beats any other grand plan I might have.
“The worries have gone and the financial security is now there. It’s too much for one person so I want to give back to all the people who have helped me out when things were rough. It’s been a lot to take in, I’m going to miss work as well, I’ve got a good bunch of lads there. I can’t wait to take them out for a beer.”
Speaking about how the money will benefit his daughter in particular, Bagley explained: “I want to set my daughter up for life. She wants to go to university and I want to get her a car. I just want her to stay safe and well and happy and enjoy it with me. It’s going to be a good thing for all of us. We’ve had hard times over the last few years, friends and family, but we all look after each other.”
This Saturday’s Lotto jackpot is worth £4.1 million whilst there is £24 million up for grabs in tonight’s EuroMillions draw. You can be in with a chance of emulating Bagley by picking your numbers for both draws from any licensed retailer in the UK, or joining an online syndicate. Best of luck to everyone who enters, and remember to let us know how you get on!