A LOTTERY winner kept ignoring messages that he won after being convinced his mate lied about the £333k jackpot to fool him.
Roly, from Chester in Cheshire, was one of the lucky punters who bagged the life-changing prize in the People’s Postcode Lottery.
He shared the Millionaire Street pot with two neighbours in Chester after CH2 3RT won the whopping jackpot.
Every golden ticket was worth a massive £333,333.
But the gobsmacked winner originally thought he was being pranked by mates when he discovered the incredible windfall.
Roly and his clinical pharmacist wife Sian initially thought the win was a set-up by one of his joker pals.
He said: “I’ve got a few mates and we sort of play the odd practical joke. I told my best mate and I was like, ‘This isn’t you, is it?’
“And then the more it started happening I was like, ‘I’m not sure that he’s got the resources to hire different people from Scotland and set up a web domain’.”
The homeowner, who won the Millionaire Street £1million prize, said at the time it “hasn’t quite sunk in yet” and it all feels “surreal”.
He added: “It was then I thought it was real. I thought the maximum, which would have been amazing, would have been the £30,000 Street Prize.”
Roly, a keen fan of horse-racing, has long dreamed of buying a steed or going on a luxury holiday.
The horseracing fanatic is desperate to own his own steed, but may have difficulty getting the green-light from wife Sian.
Dad-of-one Roly said: “I haven’t decided what I will spend it on, everything will be subject to spousal approval, obviously.
“A holiday, I’m sure. It’s my little girl’s fourth birthday next month, so I’m sure she’ll get some treats.
“I would say buy a horse, but I don’t think I would get away with that. I’m a massive racing fan so I’d like to buy even the leg of a horse, but I’m not sure I’ll get that one approved. Who knows?”
However, the dad said another purchase – which will take over a decade to reap the rewards – was more important to him and his wife Sian.
The Cheshire man said he is looking to the future ahead to put savings in place for his daughter.
And he hopes some of the winnings will go towards her university fund.
Roly said: “Our daughter’s four so we’ve got a lot of things to look forward to with her in life.
“But there are a lot of things we will want to save money for.
“University fees are a long way off, but things like that, and this will really, really help make sure that she’s got everything that she needs.”
More practical projects include sprucing up the garden – which is currently a “wasteland”.
And, the family are generously thinking of others too – with plans to donate to Cats Protection and Canal and River Trust.
Roly told how they adopted their beloved deaf cat from the cat charity 12 years ago and they’ve supported ever since.
How People's Postcode Lottery works
- People’s Postcode Lottery costs £12 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day. People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws. A minimum of 33% from each ticket goes to charity.
- Every Saturday, £1 million will be shared by one postcode as part of the lottery’s Millionaire Street prize.
- Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised more than £1.2 billion for thousands of charities and local good causes.
- This prize was promoted on behalf of Postcode Animal Trust which supports organisations including Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, PDSA and Medical Detection Dogs.
- To play the People’s Postcode Lottery, you have to sign up on the website and enter your bank details.
- You’re then automatically entered into a variety of different draws and prizes are announced every day
“The Canal & River Trust is a charity that a lot of people in Chester support because the canal is a really big issue around here,” he added.
The Postcode Lottery also donates funds to both Roly’s chosen charities.
“Feeling like you’ve helped out a bit, however indirectly, through playing, is good,” continued the winner.
On sharing the jackpot with his neighbours, Roly said: “It’s really nice, really lovely to win with my neighbours because we know them and they’re lovely people.
“It’s really nice to share it with them.”
It comes as other winners celebrate Postcode Lottery scoops on streets up and down the country.
One lucky couple who scooped £142,000 in the raffle revealed their plan – but it may surprise you.
Elsewhere, another couple who won £60,000 on the People’s Postcode Lottery told how they were able to double their winnings.
Plus, a group of lucky Brits who bagged themselves £3.2million revealed how they’ll splash the cash.