A FAMILY has revealed they couldn’t claim their £1million lottery jackpot because of a “pact” made 30 years ago.
Linda Cobb, 65, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, won a £1million lottery jackpot but took home just part of it.
After struggling to get through to the operator, the family’s £1million win was confirmed this week.
But they’d joined together in a lottery syndicate during a Christmas catch up in 1994, meaning no one could claim the full million to themselves.
Instead, David, his two sisters Carol Nobbs, 55, and Sandra Digby, 66, along with their 87-year-old mother Audrey, split £250,000 between them.
A syndicate is where players can enter the lottery as a group, buying just one ticket between them and splitting any winnings.
David said: “From that Christmas catch-up when we jokingly set up the syndicate a few months after the first Lotto draw in November 1994, I’ve been waiting for this moment.
“To be able to share it with my family is the icing on the cake, and to see that it will help the wider family is the cherry on top.”
After checking the National Lottery app, Linda saw a message alerting her of a life-changing win.
But her joy quickly turned into confusion when she couldn’t get through to the National Lottery phone lines. The Cobbs were left in limbo, not knowing if their fortune was real.
Linda desperately asked her husband, David, to look at the app himself.
Mr Cobb, 67, said: “To be honest, I was a bit grumpy and couldn’t be bothered to find my glasses.
“But when your wife of 45 years uses ‘that’ voice and says, ‘no, you really need to read this,’ you know you’d better find your glasses.”
The Cobbs decided to distract themselves with a 10-mile bike ride while waiting for the phone lines to open.
David recounted the moment he shared the news with his mother.
He said: “I told mum I had some good news and wanted to tell her and my sisters at the same time. She immediately said, ‘have we won the Lottery,’ so my plan was slightly scuppered.”
The siblings were overwhelmed. Sandra was so shocked a fellow gardener had to pop over to make sure she didn’t faint, while Carol burst into tears.
Carol has since been searching for a new home, a dream she thought would never come true after some tough years.
Sandra plans to upgrade her old VW Polo, and the rest of the family is still deciding how to spend their windfall, but ensuring the whole family benefits is their priority.
The Cobbs’ winning ticket for the draw on Saturday, June 22, was bought online using the National Lottery app.
The winning numbers were 5, 9, 18, 32, 44, and 58, with their ticket matching five numbers and the Bonus Ball number 34.
A lottery syndicate is a group of lottery players who pool their resources to buy multiple tickets, increasing their chances of winning. The costs and winnings are shared among all members. Syndicates can be formed online or with friends, family, or colleagues.
Setting Up a Syndicate:
Syndicate Agreement: A formal agreement is recommended to avoid disputes and tax issues. It outlines the structure and management of the syndicate.
Syndicate Manager Responsibilities:
– Maintain the syndicate agreement.
– Ensure each player has paid for their tickets.
– Purchase tickets and check for prizes.
– Collect and distribute winnings among members.
Managing a Syndicate:
Number of Members/Tickets:There’s no limit to the number of members or tickets. More tickets increase winning chances, but also make management harder and winnings smaller per member.
Prize Distribution: Winnings are paid to the syndicate manager, who then distributes them. Online syndicates automate this process.
Legality:
Lottery syndicates are legal and a fun way to enhance your chances of winning. Ensure a syndicate agreement is in place for offline groups, or join an online group for secure and automated management of tickets and winnings.
But despite losing out on the remaining £750,000 it wasn’t all doom and gloom for David.
He said: “It was an incredible moment – especially for my sister Carol, who has had a tough few years and thought she would never have her own home again.
“To be able to share this win with my family is priceless.”
It comes as another couple boasted they had won a hefty £182million on the EuroMillions.
But the excitement was short-lived once they were “disqualified” for a devastating reason.
Not all winners are quite so eager to splash the cash. One couple became overnight lottery millionaires after hitting The National Lottery jackpot.
However, instead of blowing their wins on first class flights, they continued their normal life and went straight back to work.
