A LUCKY couple were overwhelmed to win an eye-watering £300,000 on the Postcode Lottery – after nearly missing out.
Deborah and Paul, from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, were tempted not to play the lotto anymore after a previous win in 2016.
The newly weds, who both work for the NHS, scooped £3,000 just two months after signing up eight years ago.
Deborah nearly convinced Paul to cancel their tickets after bagging the windfall – but luckily he followed his own instincts.
The pair started entering with two ticket each – and it paid off – with the couple winning £2,000 and £1,000 in the Postcode Lottery Daily Prize in June.
In their latest spell of lotto luck, the Gateshead couple are celebrating a £333,332 jackpot in the Millionaire Street draw today.
Deborah told the Postcode Lottery: “When we won the first time within a month or two of joining, I thought that would be it and we should just cancel but Paul refused and here we are.
“We could have said enough’s enough after that first win eight years ago. Then we won £2,000 each in June. Even with those wins it’s been worthwhile. But we never, ever dreamed we’d end up with as much as this.”
Paul added: “You can’t win if you don’t play, and our life has just changed.”
The winners shared the £1million prize with eight other neighbours in the NE9 6PZ post code.
Each ticket was worth an eye-watering £83,333 but because Deborah and Paul had bought two tickets each they doubled their windfall.
The couple were stunned when they heard a knock at their door and opened it to a £83,333 cheque.
But were overwhelmed when a second was handed to them because they’d played with multiple tickets.
Paul said: “You’re having a laugh. I thought the first cheque was the two amounts together. I need a chair! Thank you very, very, very, very much. It is absolutely fantastic.”
Deborah added: “I was very happy with the first two cheques and just assumed that was our two tickets combined. Then a little visitor surprised us and gave us another two cheques. That’s when I started to get speechless.
“We had been hoping to move house anyway. We’ve got a two-bedroom home and five grandchildren. We need another room, and this will go to that.
“I’m not often lost for words. It means so much for us, we can help the four children and five grandchildren. That’s what gives us happiness, if we can do things for the family.”
The couple are proud grandparents to five grandchildren who they intend to spoil.
They’re also springing for a new house, and jetting off to Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria next week.
Paul may even splash some cash on upgrading his Kia Sportage Hybrid.
It comes as a lucky punter who bagged a £410,000 jackpot told how no one believed her – not even her husband.
Leyla Eaton’s jaw dropped after discovering she’d scooped the life-changing prize in the Postcode Lottery.
Elsewhere, another couple who won £60,000 on the People’s Postcode Lottery told how they were able to double their winnings.
Susan and Colin Tallon from Warrington, Cheshire, were able to take home twice the £31,250 prize on a massive fluke.
Meanwhile, a group of lucky Brits who bagged themselves £3.2million revealed how they’ll splash the cash.
The huge prize was won by more than 1,000 locals on a Greater Manchester estate.
