Lottery fever is sweeping across Skegness amid speculation a mystery £76million Euromillions jackpot winner might have bought their ticket in the area.
Yesterday, the National Lottery announced that the winner had bought their ticket in the Boston and Skegness region – fueling rumours it could have been a holidaymaker visiting the area.
The winning ticket was purchased for the jackpot on November 2, which was coincidentally the last day of half-term for some parts of the country.
So the ticket need not have been bought by someone living in the area, instead it could have been purchased by someone from elsewhere in the country.
Andy Carter (pictured), senior winners’ adviser at the National Lottery, is urging potential winners to ‘triple-check’ their tickets. He noted that ‘someone out there could literally be sitting on a fortune’
Skegness (pictured) is one of the parliamentary constituency areas where the prize could have been won. The National Lottery announced yesterday that the prize had been won in the Boston and Skegness parliamentary constituency
Andy Carter, senior winners’ adviser at the National Lottery, said he was on ‘standby’ waiting for the ticket-holder to come forward.
He said: ‘We’re desperate to find this mystery ticket-holder and unite them with their winnings.
‘We’re urging everyone to checking pockets of clothing, wallets, bags, down the back of the sofa and anywhere a missing ticket could be hiding.
‘Someone out there could literally be sitting on a fortune.’
The purchase of the Euromillions ticket from the Boston and Skegness region was announced according to National Lottery rules.
If no valid claim for major prizes is received within a two week period of a draw, then the area in which the ticket was sold is publicised.
One ticket-holder has all the numbers, meaning they will win a total of £76,369,806.80. The numbers needed to claim the money are 05, 15, 17, 37, 44 and the winning Lucky Star numbers are 07 and 11
Andy Carter, senior winners’ adviser at the National Lottery (left and right) is leading the hunt for the winners
This then allows Camelot to encourage players to check their tickets, while also protecting a winner’s potential desire to stay anonymous.
It was confirmed on Wednesday, November 14, that the winning ticket was purchased in the Boston and Skegness parliamentary constituency area.
Its owner matched five main numbers and two Lucky Star numbers to win the entire £76.3 million jackpot.
The winning numbers were 5, 15, 17, 37, 44 and the Lucky Star numbers were 7 and 11.
Lottery players are now being urged to ‘triple-check’ their tickets just in case they have won the huge sum.
Mr Carter continued: ‘We have the champagne on ice and our fingers crossed that the lucky winner comes forward to claim their win.’
The quaint area of Boston (pictured left) is also another parliamentary constituency where the ticket may have been purchased. EuroMillions (right) is still looking for the lucky winner to claim their prize
The ticket-holder has until Wednesday, May 1 next year to claim their prize.
It is the biggest EuroMillions win since Aberdeen couple Fred and Lesley Higgins claimed nearly £57.9 million in July after having their ticket torn in two.
The biggest UK EuroMillions winner this year was an anonymous ticket-holder who banked £121 million in April, while in February another anonymous player won £77 million.
Currently the biggest lottery win in the UK is that of Colin and Chris Weir from Largs in North Ayrshire, who won £161 million on EuroMillions in 2011.
Mr Carter said buying a EuroMillions ticket helps to raise money for good causes.
‘On average, around £30 million is raised every week for projects across the UK, both big and small, including funding everything from local community projects to preserving the nation’s heritage,’ he said.
It is the biggest EuroMillions win since Aberdeen couple Fred and Lesley Higgins (pictured) claimed nearly £57.9 million in July after having their ticket torn in two
The news of the mystery winning players also comes as Britain’s youngest EuroMillions winner Jane Park, has offered to pay up to £60,000 a year for a man to date her, after splitting with her boyfriend.
Miss Park had previously worked in a £8-an-hour job as an admin temp and was just 17 when she scooped her £1million win after playing the game for the first time.
Now 23-years-old, Miss Park has said she has become suspicious of other people’s intentions when it comes to dating, due to her huge fourtune.