Olympic Success for Team GB Helps Create 27 Lotto Millionaires
Last Updated: Friday 9th September 2016, 10:14
Olympic success kept the entire nation completely spellbound as the heroic athletes from Team GB stormed to gold medal glory in 27 events in Rio. As National Lottery funding helped to create the country’s most successful overseas Games, a special Lotto draw was held on Saturday 27th August offering 27 prizes of £1 million each - one for every gold brought home by British athletes.
One of the lucky tickets to claim a prize of £1 million belonged to Bill and Jean Dicken from Benfleet in Essex. The couple, who have been happily married for 53 years, were avid supporters of Team GB throughout the summer and couldn’t believe their luck when news of the win came through. The lucky husband and wife plan to share their windfall with their two daughters and seven grandchildren. They also intend to replace their Peugeot with something a little more up-to-date, while carrying out renovations on their home of 22 years is also a priority.
However, the pair received quite a shock when they rang the National Lottery to register their win. Quoted by ITV News, Jean said: "I rang Camelot and told the lady that I thought we’d won £20,000 whereupon she said, ‘It’s not £20,000, congratulations, you’ve won £1m’. Well, all I could do was say ‘no’ over and over again as I tried to take it in. Poor Bill who was sitting beside me thought this meant we’d won nothing at all.”
Bill and Jean weren’t the only players to profit from Team GB’s medal haul. Jane Wyatt, a part-time civil servant from Salford, scooped a prize of £1 million after purchasing her Lucky Dip ticket online at the last minute. The 49-year-old, who has always fantasised about becoming a millionaire, had previously only ever won £10 when playing Lotto, but bought a ticket on the night of the Olympic themed draw because she “felt lucky”.
The mother-of-three told the Manchester Evening News that she plans to spoil her family with her new-found wealth: “The boys have given me a long list of things they want and I’ll be sure to treat them. I’m just so happy that I’m able to give them a helping hand - something I would never have been able to do before.” However, Jane, who has already started looking at new houses in the Salford area, does plan on saving a sizeable sum for herself: “I’ll still look after myself, whether that’s a luxury holiday or sprucing up my wardrobe - or both.”
In addition to the 27 millionaires created, a further 23 players won prizes of £100,000 each to represent Team GB’s silver medal success, while 17 lucky ticket holders ended the night £50,000 richer thanks to the nation’s bronze medal athletes. In total, 67 players were lavished with rewards to round off what has been a sensational summer of sport for Team GB. The fantastic news doesn't stop there either, as ten lucky UK EuroMillions players will each win a prize of £1 million and a holiday of a lifetime to Brazil to celebrate the launch of the Paralympic Games. The draws take place on Friday 9th September and Tuesday 13th September. Good luck!
