Annie decided to go to sleep herself, with the ticket under her pillow, before having another look in the morning and confirming that they had indeed become millionaires. “The news really is sinking in now,” she said as the lucky couple came forward to pick up their cheque. “I have to pinch myself to convince myself that it is not all a dream.”
The great-grandparents have already thought of a number of ways to use their new-found wealth, with a new home, car and foreign holiday high on the shopping list, but the family is the top priority. Annie said: “I just want to see to it that the children are okay. We’re also looking to buy a house and John wants a new BMW.”
As a big lottery fan, Annie has no plans to stop playing EuroMillions, and is actually more confident than ever that she can repeat her success. “I have already got my ticket for this Friday,” she said. “If I can win it once, I can win it again.”
Annie can draw inspiration from fellow Scunthorpe residents David and Kathleen Long in her quest to win again, after they defied odds of more than 283 billion to one to snap up a second prize of £1 million in April 2015. It would certainly be a perfect time to hit the EuroMillions jackpot, with £91 million on offer this Friday night after a tenth successive rollover.
It is the largest EuroMillions jackpot of the year, and fans of the game can try their luck by choosing numbers online or visiting an authorised retailer in any of the nine participating countries.