Lotto Ticket Holder Wins £5 Million After Playing the Same Numbers for Over 23 Years
Last Updated: Thursday 26th October 2017, 09:18
A Lotto winner from Port Seaton in East Lothian has claimed a £5 million prize after playing the same numbers for over 23 years. Tommy Parker’s long wait for a massive win finally ended after he matched the numbers 11, 12, 22, 27, 44 and the Bonus Ball 7 in the ‘must-win’ draw on Wednesday 18th October, which saw a £25 million jackpot roll down to the second prize tier.
Tommy’s love for Lotto started back in 1994 and the 68-year-old has played ever since, selecting the same numbers draw after draw. Speaking to National Lottery officials, the retired campsite foreman explained how he knew his persistence would eventually pay off: “There was never a time when I thought ‘I’ll not bother.” He also revealed how he came by his lucky digits: “They all relate to family birthdays and I just picked 44 because it always seemed to come up.”
Discovering the Win
When Tommy first checked his ticket following the draw, he thought he had won a much smaller sum, although that was still enough to please his wife, Linda. “I saw it on the teletext and rushed through to Linda and told her we had won nearly six hundred quid - she was quite excited about that,” the sextagenarian recalled.
But it soon dawned on the grandfather that his ticket had matched more numbers that he had initially thought:“ I went back to check again and realised we had five main numbers and the bonus ball,” he said. “I rushed back and told her we had five million quid.”
After getting little sleep, Tommy, who was still in a state of disbelief, decided to spend the following morning finishing painting his kitchen: “I need to occupy my mind with something while I think,” he told officials. “I know now I’m a millionaire and I can get someone to do that for me, but I’ve started the job so I’ll finish it too.”
Plans for the Future
With a cheque for £5 million safely in hand, Tommy is now looking to the future and already has some big plans for his fortune. After paying off the mortgages of his two daughters, the generous winner intends to build a bungalow that will cater to the needs of wife Linda, who suffers from a crippling form of arthritis. “I’ve got my eye on a massive dressing room, a wood burner and a Belfast sink,” Linda smiled.
Tommy, a die-hard Newcastle United fan, also intends to have his own room in which he can watch his beloved Magpies. “I’ll be able to say, ‘I’m going to watch the football’ rather than ‘Is it ok if I watch the football?’.
This idea certainly gets the seal of approval from Linda, who is looking forward to being able to watch her soaps in peace: “I can’t stand football - I’m not a sporty person, she said. “He loves his football and when I’m watching the telly he’s always switching over to see what the scores are.”
Win Big This Weekend
If you would like to follow in the footsteps of Tommy and claim your own Lotto jackpot, you won’t want to miss out on this Saturday’s draw, when the top prize is a sensational £5.2 million. You can play online or pick up a ticket from any authorised retailer throughout the UK. Good luck!
