I won lottery TWICE but I still won’t splash out on useless treats – it’s far more sensible to keep my £800k intact
A MUM who scooped £800,000 after winning the lottery twice has explained why she won’t splash out on useless treats.
The lucky player raked in the huge prize after buying her tickets based on a dream she had two years ago.
Sally, from Shiplake, Oxfordshire, received a whopping £821,990 when she emerged as the double-winner of the People’s Postcode Lottery this month.
She revealed that she bought her tickets based on a strong premonition back in 2022.
The overjoyed lotto champ explained: “I had a dream about People’s Postcode Lottery a couple of years ago.
“It was a white van with the Postcode Lottery logo on it sitting at the bottom of the drive at the gate. I saw £30,000 written on a card.
“It’s been near enough in the back of my mind every day since. I’ve thought about it most weeks.”
The main priority is using this money wisely and sensibly
Sally
Despite some teasing from her husband Murray, determined Sally remained adamant that a big win was on the way.
She added: “I put on another ticket after the dream.
“I nearly cancelled it altogether at one point, but people just need to go with their feelings.
“I kept saying to everyone, ‘My win is coming’.
“Now here you are, but I never dreamed of anything like this.”
However, it’s not going to be supercars and champagne for Sally, with the mum of two very clear that she wants to be “sensible” with the new cash.
She and Murrary currently live in an old cottage on the farm where he works, but they plan to use the winnings to buy a house when he decides to retire.
Sally went on: “That’s my dream: a little cottage somewhere.
“It might be that we can buy a house in Shiplake now and stay in the village, which we never thought we could do.
“My husband has worked so hard for us and never asked for anything back…now I can give him something back.”
UK's biggest lottery winners
By Ethan Singh
- Anonymous winner – £195,707,000
A UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022 – the biggest National Lottery win of all time.
The holder, who remains anonymous to this day, amassed the fortune with just one lucky ticket.
- Joe and Jess Thwaite – £184,262,899.10
Britain’s previous EuroMillions record holders were Joe and Jess Thwaite.
The couple won a record-breaking £184million jackpot in May 2022 and shared hopes of a Hawaiian holiday and a new horse box for their children’s ponies.
Joe bought his winning ticket online on May 10, 2022, and the following morning received an email with good news.
As he learnt of the huge win, he was in disbelief and initially kept it for himself as he did not want to disturb his wife, who was sleeping.
Joe, a communications sales engineer, and Jess, who runs a hairdressing salon with her sister, have been married for 11 years and have two children.
- Colin and Chris Weir, £161,653,000
Colin and Christine Weir landed the colossal prize money in 2011 and were Europe’s second-biggest winners until someone in Italy won a jackpot worth £193m in 2019.
They splashed the cash at an astounding rate of £100,000 a week before tragedy struck.
But at the time of Colin’s death in December 2019 his share of the prize money had dwindled by around £40m.
He spent the millions living a life of luxury, forking out for sports cars, property and the football club he supported.
Colin and Christine divorced shortly before his death after being married for 38 years.
He left money for their children Carly and Jamie.
- Adrian and Gillian Brayford – £148,600,000
Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million.
But Adrian split from Gillian the following year because of the stress of the win.
The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021.
After divorcing in 2013, he failed to woo ex-sausage factory worker Marta Jarosz — but fell for stable girl Sam Burbidge.
She left him in 2017, taking 30 prize horses Adrian bought.
It might have worked out in the end for Adrian though as the former postman was seen smiling with ambulance worker Tracey Biles last year.
- Frances and Patrick Connolly – £114,969,775
Former social worker and teacher Frances set up two charitable foundations after she and her husband hit the jackpot.
They scooped almost £115 million on New Year’s Day 2019.
She estimates that she has already given away £60 million to charitable causes, as well as friends and family.
- Richard and Debbie Nuttall – £61,000,000
The couple from Colne, Lancashire, took home £61 million on January 30 2024.
Both 54, they were enjoying a holiday in Fuerteventura, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.
But they then discovered the big EuroMillions win.
Richard revealed they originally thought they had won £2.60, but then received another email telling the pair to check their account.
Other eye-watering anonymous winners:
- 2019 – £123million
Another anonymous winner scooped up a prize of £123,458,008 in the June Superdraw rollover.
- 2021 – £122million
Following nine rollovers, one ticketholder bagged the £122,550,350 jackpot last April.
The successful participant chose to remain anonymous.
- 2018 – £121million
Another anonymous winner found their fortune during the Superdraw jackpot rollover in April 2018, securing £121,328,187.
Sally also said it would “mean everything to me” to be able to retire as she struggles with spinal and shoulder conditions, as well as using some of the money to help out her two children.
However, she does plan to enjoy one luxury – a world cruise so she can see the globe without stirring up her fear of flying.
She explained: “The main priority is using this money wisely and sensibly and securing our future and helping the family, no doubt.
“We’ll look seriously at what we can do to help us for the rest of our lives.”
But Sally’s win isn’t just a joy for her and her family, as the competition allows players to contribute to local charities.
Nearby Headway Thames Valley, which helps people in the area living with brain injuries, was awarded £60,000 by the Postcode Community Trust.
General Manager Jane Higgins said: “We have been absolutely blown away hearing the amount of funding we are receiving today.
“It is far more than we were initially expecting and will be vital in allowing us to continue our mission in supporting those impacted by brain injury.”
