A COUPLE who scooped a £250,000 jackpot have revealed how an easy mistake ultimately led to their unexpected windfall.
Michelle Newton, a 50-year-old teacher, and her husband John Simpson, a school caretaker from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, hit the £250,000 jackpot after a series of unfortunate events.
The lovebirds were on their way to do a bit of Christmas shopping in late December when they misplaced their keys, causing a delay that would change their lives forever.
Michelle explained: “We were off to town in between Christmas and New Year to see the sales, just to mooch really.
“But as we were leaving, we realised we couldn’t find our keys. We searched everywhere, and by the time we found them, we were running late.”
After eventually finding the keys and heading out, the couple popped into Pages Newsagents on Camden Road for a few essentials.
With some spare change, they decided to buy a £2 scratch card, thinking nothing of it.
Minutes later, their fortunes took a sudden turn.
Michelle said: “We scratched the card outside the shop and just stopped dead in our tracks.
“I looked at John and said, ‘I can’t believe this is happening’ We were in complete shock, standing there in the street with cars whizzing past.”
Rather than heading straight home, the pair decided to toast their unexpected windfall with a pint at their local pub, The Black Horse, before calling to claim their prize.
Thrilled John, 61, added: “We kept looking at the scratch card, wondering what to do next.
“Michelle was feeling light-headed, so we thought a drink would calm our nerves.
“It was a mad day – if we hadn’t lost our keys, we’d have gone into the newsagents at a different time and bought a different scratch card. We might never have won a thing.”
The couple plans to use their winnings to pay off their mortgage, renovate their home, and purchase a rental property.
“They’re also planning a trip to Australia to visit John’s family and celebrate his upcoming birthday.
Michelle added: “I’m still in shock, but I’m looking forward to being more relaxed about money.
“It’s been a whirlwind few weeks – John hasn’t slept much, and until the lady from the National Lottery turned up, we hid the scratchcard in the lining of John’s coat.
“We’d keep getting it out and looking at it over and over. I still can’t believe we have won.”
Their story comes as others continue to debate the best – and worst – ways to spend lottery winnings.
It comes as a woman whose sister-in-law won a £9.3million jackpot slammed her for giving a “stingy” gift – telling gobsmacked friends it doesn’t come as a surprise.
May Powell, from Telford in Shropshire, was thrilled after her husband Len’s sister Irene Jones scooped the lottery prize.
By Ethan Singh
A UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022 – the biggest National Lottery win of all time.
The holder, who remains anonymous to this day, amassed the fortune with just one lucky ticket.
Britain’s previous EuroMillions record holders were Joe and Jess Thwaite.
The couple won a record-breaking £184million jackpot in May 2022 and shared hopes of a Hawaiian holiday and a new horse box for their children’s ponies.
Joe bought his winning ticket online on May 10, 2022, and the following morning received an email with good news.
As he learnt of the huge win, he was in disbelief and initially kept it for himself as he did not want to disturb his wife, who was sleeping.
Joe, a communications sales engineer, and Jess, who runs a hairdressing salon with her sister, have been married for 11 years and have two children.
Colin and Christine Weir landed the colossal prize money in 2011 and were Europe’s second-biggest winners until someone in Italy won a jackpot worth £193m in 2019.
They splashed the cash at an astounding rate of £100,000 a week before tragedy struck.
But at the time of Colin’s death in December 2019 his share of the prize money had dwindled by around £40m.
He spent the millions living a life of luxury, forking out for sports cars, property and the football club he supported.
Colin and Christine divorced shortly before his death after being married for 38 years.
He left money for their children Carly and Jamie.
Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million.
But Adrian split from Gillian the following year because of the stress of the win.
The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021.
After divorcing in 2013, he failed to woo ex-sausage factory worker Marta Jarosz — but fell for stable girl Sam Burbidge.
She left him in 2017, taking 30 prize horses Adrian bought.
It might have worked out in the end for Adrian though as the former postman was seen smiling with ambulance worker Tracey Biles last year.
Former social worker and teacher Frances set up two charitable foundations after she and her husband hit the jackpot.
They scooped almost £115 million on New Year’s Day 2019.
She estimates that she has already given away £60 million to charitable causes, as well as friends and family.
The couple from Colne, Lancashire, took home £61 million on January 30 2024.
Both 54, they were enjoying a holiday in Fuerteventura, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.
But they then discovered the big EuroMillions win.
Richard revealed they originally thought they had won £2.60, but then received another email telling the pair to check their account.
Other eye-watering anonymous winners:
Another anonymous winner scooped up a prize of £123,458,008 in the June Superdraw rollover.
Following nine rollovers, one ticketholder bagged the £122,550,350 jackpot last April.
The successful participant chose to remain anonymous.
Another anonymous winner found their fortune during the Superdraw jackpot rollover in April 2018, securing £121,328,187.
