I was forced to give up most of my £1million People’s Postcode Lottery win due to strict rule… don’t make my mistake
A DAD received the life-changing news he’d won the lottery – only to be forced to split the £1 million winnings with four other people.
Paul White learned this week he was one of the lucky winners in the Postcode Lottery.
But, due to the number of other entrants within his postcode, he has now had to share the prize with four other neighbours – leaving him with just £200,000.
The neighbours live in Breaston, Derbyshire, with three of them living on the same tiny cul-de-sac.
Despite this unfortunate turn of events, the retired electrical contractor was excited to at least plan a Christmas holiday to Australia with the winnings.
Meanwhile, neighbours Paul Rowland, George Mounsey and Alison Browne were ecstatic about the win.
Dad-of-three Paul said: “There’s a lovely community spirit and it’s lovely to have three winners in a row.
“I was going to take my wife for a weekend away. Now it’ll be a fortnight away. What are the chances of this happening here?”
He added that he would be treating his wife Angie and daughters Lizzy and Charlotte on a luxury holiday in the Maldives.
He joked: “Both my daughters are nurses. Lizzy wants to go to the Maldives. They’ve already said to us, ‘Oh we can go to the Maldives – you can take all of us.’ You know what kids are like.”
George said: “We couldn’t believe it when the three houses won together.
“We didn’t know they were in it until we went round and banged on the door and asked, ‘Are you in the Postcode Lottery? Have you had a phone call?”
Speaking of him and his wife Margaret, he added: “We haven’t got a clue what we’re going to do. We’re not short of money, we’re very comfortable.
“Margaret would like a static caravan in Yorkshire somewhere. We’ll see, we may invest.
“We’ve travelled the world and seen a lot of places. We’ve got two Schnauzers and when you’ve got dogs, you’ve got to think about them all the time. World cruises are out.”
Music teacher Alison said: “I don’t know what to think. This is life-changing, it really is.”
Postcode Lottery players pay a monthly subscription to enter twenty draws along with their neighbours – including a weekly £1 million jackpot.
Money raised by the competition goes to charity.
How to play the People's Postcode Lottery?
For just £12 a month, players can sign up through the official website to have a chance of winning millions of pounds.
Once signed up, players are automatically entered into every draw and prizes are announced every day of each month.
Tickets play for the Daily Prize, worth £1000 and revealed every single day.
Tickets could also win a jackpot of £30,000 for Saturday and Sunday’s Street Prize draws.
People’s Postcode Lottery also offers a £3million Postcode Millions draw each month – where your ticket plays for a share of the cash prize fund.
Winners are notified by email, text, post, or phone call, depending on the prize they win.
Jackpot winners are visited by the lottery team in person.