03 January 2024 , 19:20
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One lucky Brit has finally come forward to claim a huge EuroMillions prize for £1million.
The UK Millionaire Maker prize-winning ticket was bought in North Lanarkshire in October 2023. For every EuroMillions played, players in the UK are automatically given a EuroMillions Millionaire Maker code printed on their ticket. The claim was confirmed today by Camelot, which operates The National Lottery, and it will now go through a process of verification to ensure all terms and conditions have been met.
When the prize has been validated it will be paid, and then the ticket-holder will decide whether to publicly reveal their identity or not. Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at The National Lottery, said, “We are absolutely delighted that this lucky ticket-holder has come forward and claimed their prize, what a way to start 2024 - just imagine the possibilities for them this year!
“It’s now our job to support the ticket-holder through the process - we support every National Lottery winner in the same way - and we will do this as quickly as possible to ensure they can very soon begin to enjoy their life-changing win.” With all National Lottery draws players have 180 days from the day of the draw to claim their prize if they have the winning ticket.
Back in November 2023, it was reported that a couple quit work to build their dream home having won £1 million on EuroMillions. John and Patricia Gill scooped the prize on Christmas Day in 2015, and are now converting a detached property.
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Patricia said: “The win has bought us time – the time to do so much with our lives. John is now in the process of building our dream home.”
The couple are doing the bulk of the work on the former bungalow themselves. They hope to move in in the spring.
Patricia, 60, said her husband, who has an engineering background, has always been “handy”. She added: “He prefers to do it himself. Now that he has retired, it gives him something to get his teeth into.”
She added: “I brush up, I make the tea, I do the sandwich run, but I’ve also been sanding down the door frames, so anything I can do I will get stuck in. I like to keep it clean and tidy because if you are working in a tidy environment it is so much nicer.”
John, 64, said doing the work himself has “helped keep the cost down”. “I did all the initial drawings and then gave it to a guy to draw up the plans,” he said.
"I’m doing anything and everything. All the plumbing, the central heating - but I won’t be fitting the boiler.
"I put all the windows in, I took all the chimney breasts down, cleaned all the bricks. It would cost a fortune if you didn’t do it yourself.”
Patricia was an accountant and John ran a truck repair company in Warrington, Cheshire, before selling the firm following their win. Recalling the night he realised they were millionaires, John said: “I just couldn’t work out if I had won £100, £1,000, or £100,000 – and then I realised it was £1,000,000.”
They have continued to play the lottery ever since. Anyone who has any queries or who believes they have the winning ticket for any of the National Lottery draws within the 180-day deadline should call the National Lottery Line on 0333 234 5050 or email [email protected].