13 September 2024 , 12:35
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Ray Bowen, 61, nearly forgot to buy his EuroMillions ticket but remembered at the last moment, and the next day discovered he had won more than £100,000 in the jackpot
A EuroMillions winner scooped a life-changing jackpot after buying a ticket with only a few minutes to spare.
Ray Bowen had been watching movies with friends when he suddenly remembered he had not yet bought a ticket for the night’s draw. As the deadline drew closer he did not have time to use his usual numbers and so opted for a Lucky Dip.
Incredibly, he matched five main numbers and one Lucky Star in the EuroMillions draw on Friday, August 30. His luck earned him a very welcome £131,584 - and his first call was to his delighted mum and dad.
Carer Ray, 61, said: “It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in ages. My friends had come round for our weekly movie night and I was running late.
“I realised I hadn’t updated my account details and, as I’ve never missed a draw before and the clock was ticking, I just bought a EuroMillions Lucky Dip. We then watched a couple of movies and afterwards went straight to bed, without a second thought about the draw.
“The next morning, I saw a message on my National Lottery account. As I always check and double-check unexpected emails, I thought I’d better wait until the National Lottery line opened and call them to be on the safe side.
“After various checks the lady confirmed I was a winner and someone from the National Lottery would be in contact that afternoon. I couldn’t believe it and I felt a bit numb. I then had the call and then waited for everything to be processed…I was shaking. When I calmed down, the first people I called were my mum and dad.”
Widower Ray is a carer to his three grandchildren, aged 11, 9, and 7. He was previously a motorway recovery driver and cared for the trio with his wife but had to leave the role after losing her to cancer nearly two years ago.
Ray is planning to spend some of his winnings on a family holiday to Disney World in Florida, and then look at buying the house he currently rents. He added: “I told the grandchildren, only this year, I wanted to save up and take them on a trip of a lifetime. I said it would take me a few years to save, but now we can go a lot sooner and get an upgrade.
“I also want to explore buying my house and have that security. I’m looking forward to enjoying not having to worry about bills. I already feel more relaxed about financial things and it feels good.”