Pub Worker Wins £4 Million on Lunch Break and Finishes Shift
Last Updated: Friday 3rd June 2016, 09:40
A Wetherspoons employee who discovered that he had won £4 million on a National Lottery scratchcard during his lunch break has revealed that he went straight back to work to finish his shift before starting to celebrate. Amadou Gillen, from Trowbridge in Wiltshire, bought two cards and was pleased to find that the first was worth £10, but he then uncovered the second and was astonished when a message revealed that he had landed the top prize.
While he was understandably delighted, Gillen was still able to stay calm enough to return to his work kitchen and show the level of his dedication to the job. He told reporters: “When I saw the number “4” on the card I knew they didn’t pay out £40, so I knew it had to be £4million. I scratched off the rest and oh my, I was so excited. But I put the card back in my pocket, and went back to finish the rest of my shift.”
Gillen did not tell colleagues about his big win and only broke the news to his daughters when the money arrived in his bank account. He has already arranged a holiday to see his family in Gambia, having moved from the country to study in England in 1993, and has other plans for the money as well. As well as looking for a bigger house, Gillen will finally be able to learn to drive and has set his sights on a particular car.
He said: “I have never started lessons. I have had my provisional driving licence since 2009 but I have never been able to afford to have a car or lessons. At the moment I just want to get a simple Peugeot and then I will get a BMW X6. I want to start an intensive course by next week.”
If you feel inspired by Gillen’s story you could head down to a retailer to pick up a scratchcard or even have a go at an online scratchcard, giving you the chance to transform your life in an instant. If you’re not sure whether you would have the same sort of composure as Gillen and be able to return to work straight away after a big win, you might prefer to enter Saturday’s Lotto draw, when there will be a jackpot of £15 million up for grabs after a fourth successive rollover on Wednesday.
The Lotto top prize was last won on Wednesday 18th May when Kevin Jones from Crewe matched all six main numbers to win £6.1 million. Like Gillen, Jones was able to keep his cool after a big win as he stopped off to buy a Lucky Dip on the way to collect his winnings and played a prank on the woman behind the counter. Whether you fancy picking up a scratchcard or taking part in Saturday’s Lotto, and whether you want to play online or via a retailer, you could begin to consider now how you would like to spend any winnings, and then keep your fingers crossed for a lucky break.