A LUCKY punter who scooped £66k on the Postcode Lottery despite not even living there has revealed how one small decision paid off for him.
Chris Rose, 65, from Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, says his dream has come true after landing a sweet £66,666 in the lotto.
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Each of the winners in the February 3 People’s Postcode Lottery draw pocketed at least £66,666 out of the total £1million on offer.
The lotto punter used to live on Crown Road before moving to the neighbouring town of Lancing two years ago.
But Chris’ decision to keep playing with his old postcode meant he was also one of the lucky winners when the area popped up in the draw.
He said: “When I moved, I signed up with my new postcode and chose to keep playing with my old postcode.
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“It’s all came true, and I’ve won the big one.”
“It’s paid off in bonus stamps as well! You’ve got to speculate to accumulate as they say.”
The car mechanic is now going to celebrate his upcoming retirement in style with an adventure holiday – and investing in an original 1957 Lambretta scooter.
He said, “I retire at the end of this month so this couldn’t have come at a better time.
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“I’d like to do a Safari in Africa or even go to the other side of the world to see the penguin walk.”
Meanwhile, Ken McNeill, 70, a lift engineer, is now going up in the world after winning £133,332, thanks to having two tickets.
He quickly made a video call to his son, Nigel, 42, at work to tell him he’d won the same.
Ken said: “It’s real son. Really big potatoes.”
Nigel had been working on elevators in North London before returning to his van for the uplifting call.
After getting the news, he said: “That’s just changed my life. £133,000! I can’t believe it.”
Self-employed Nigel didn’t want to lose out on a day’s work and decided to put in a shift instead of waiting for the lottery to turn up at his door.
The dad-of-two said: “The Postcode Lottery phoned me and said they’d be visiting my street with a surprise, but I couldn’t miss out on the work. But when I saw the amount, I packed up my tools and drove home.”
Nigel said news of his win quickly spread around the building site and he’s now got a new nickname – Millionaire Man.
He said: “When I walk into a room or across the [building] site, guys have been saying, ‘Here he is – the Millionaire Man’.
“It’s all been good natured, and everyone has been congratulating me.”
He added: “It might not be a million, but to me, that is like winning a million.”
Nigel now plans to put down a deposit on a house and is treating his two children to a long overdue holiday.
He said: “To be able to buy my own place and treat my kids is just a huge weight off my shoulders.
“I booked a holiday for me and the kids, but it got cancelled due to Covid, so I just had to keep my head down working in the hope that I could re-book it at some point.”
Nigel also basked in his parents’ jackpot joy – with dad Ken, 70, and mum Jenny, 66, celebrating a “mind-blowing” win.
He said: “I’m over the moon knowing my parents have won as well. They’ve done a lot for me and to now know they’re set means a lot.”
How People’s Postcode Lottery works
People’s Postcode Lottery costs £12 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day. People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws. A minimum of 33% from each ticket goes to charity.
Every Saturday, £1 million will be shared by one postcode as part of the lottery’s Millionaire Street prize.
Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised more than £1.2 billion for thousands of charities and local good causes.
This prize was promoted on behalf of Postcode Animal Trust which supports organisations including Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, PDSA and Medical Detection Dogs.
Ken, a retired Brighton taxi driver, revealed his lad had convinced him to start playing the lottery. And he won only weeks after signing up.
He said: “Nigel said I should give it a go, so I guess I have him to thank. I even signed up with two tickets because he plays with two.”
And Ken may also have his wife Jenny to thank after signing up on the same day she retired as a Housekeeping Assistant at Southlands Hospital on December 1, 2023.
Ken recently celebrated his 70th birthday and said his cash windfall was the “icing on the cake.”
Grandparents-of-three Ken and Jenny haven’t yet decided on a holiday destination but plan on taking a break after a ‘tough’ last six years.
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Meanwhile, neighbours who won £180,000 on the People’s Postcode Lottery were told their wish list was boring.
And a couple who won £60,000 on the People’s Postcode Lottery recently revealed how they were able to double their winnings.
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