Weirdest National Lottery winners' reactions as 7,000th millionaire made in UK

02 November 2023 , 13:06

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Camelot has revealed the most amazing reactions of people who were told they had won a huge prize on the National Lottery.

Winners experience a range of emotions including crying, laughing, shouting and being speechless when their win is confirmed. And while celebrating the 7,000th millionaire made in the UK since 1994, Camelot shared an audio file of calls delivering life-changing news to lucky Brits.

According to a poll of National Lottery millionaires, most people sat in stunned silence when they made that call to find out they had, in fact, won a life-changing prize. It also found that 13 per cent burst into tears, five per cent danced and a further 13 per cent ran around the room. Among the winners, one per cent took the news as an opportunity to book a holiday immediately.

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Charlotte and Daniel Peart celebrate their £1 million EuroMillions win (PA)

The study also revealed that 13 per cent of winners screamed, while three per cent decided to pop a bottle of Champagne, and 13 per cent put on the kettle instead. Of the 7,000 millionaires made in the last 29 years, 375 of those were made in 2022- meaning that more than one millionaire was made every day. Camelot said 2023 is set to be another great year for millionaire-making, with September having created 38 in just a single month.

But over the years, there have also been over 38,000 prizes of £50,000 or more. The audio shared by Camelot features the moment players found out they had won a prize. It includes the voice of Angela Hawthorn, who won £10,000 every month for a year on Set For Life earlier this year, and was shaking and felt sick.

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Terri Picton-Clark, who won £1million on Lotto two years ago, thought it was all a wind-up. Steve Glover, who scooped £1million on Lotto earlier this year, said he had tears rolling down his face. Charlotte Peart, who won £1million on EuroMillions five years ago, said she was "a bit giddy" and overcome with laughter when she made the call.

Ms Peart, from Peterborough, said: "I can still vividly remember that moment, I just couldn't stop giggling. Obviously, it was the nerves but I think it was coupled with shocked disbelief, only two weeks earlier I had wound my husband up that we'd won £250,000 so to suddenly be calling The National Lottery to officially claim £1million was just crazy!

Weirdest National Lottery winners' reactions as 7,000th millionaire made in UK

Charlotte said she 'couldn't stop giggling'

"It's great to hear my call again, it takes me right back to the beginning of our amazing winning adventure. Since that giggling call, we've had plenty of giggly moments, and while we both still work we have a lovely family home, which previously we could only ever have dreamt of, with enough space to add two beautiful Labrador sisters to the family, Missy and Millie - short for millionaire, to remind us of our £1million win."

One person who has experienced every possible winner reaction is Anita Pires, who works at the call centre for The National Lottery, answering phone calls from potential winners who may have won anything from five pounds to millions. Anita said: "It is always very exciting when a winner's call comes in. The winners are normally always in shock and struggle to comprehend how much they have won. Their reactions differ enormously - I have heard it all.

"On confirming the winning amount, we always check if they are in a position to speak or continue the call through their tears, laughs and screaming, and if they are sitting down before re-confirming the news, just in case! I love my job - I spend so much of my day giving life-changing news to people and it is an honour to be part of such a special moment that they will remember forever."

Having paid out over £3billion in major prizes, Andy Carter, Senior Winners' Advisor at The National Lottery, has been there from the very beginning of many a winning journey. Andy said: "Having made 7,000 millionaires since 1994, we have the privilege of getting to meet lots of winners and be part of their life-changing journey. Some people feel sick, some people scream and cheer with excitement and a fair few cry, a lot! Lots of winners think it’s a wind-up or a joke, so much so that they can't stop laughing. And I am sure I will be meeting more winners very soon as 10 guaranteed millionaires are to be made in this Friday's EuroMillions draw."