Joanne and David Austin from West Hull collected a check for £3 million (US$5.6 million) nearly a month after becoming one of five ticket holders to share a £15 million (US$28 million) UK Lotto Superdraw on January 8th.
The couple only realized they had a winning ticket after an advertisement in the local papers.
The winning numbers were: 7, 10, 17, 23, 28 and 29.
Joanne Austin said she had rummaged through her kitchen drawer and pulled out a pile of old lottery tickets, and was "shell-shocked" when the right numbers were found on one of them.
Husband David has quit his job at a caravan manufacturing company, but Mrs Austin says she will continue working as a part-time estate agent "to keep my feet on the ground".
The lucky couple say although some of the cash will be spent on vacations around the world with their young family, they see no reason to stop their trips to caravan parks around the UK.
Joanne Austin said, "We always use the same numbers so I recognized them straight away.
"I opened the kitchen drawer where I keep our Lotto tickets and got all the tickets out to check, as I hadn't done it for ages.
"When I found the one for that date I kept staring at it and then the numbers in the papers. I just couldn't believe it."
The family say they have not had time to celebrate since finding the ticket on Wednesday.
David Austin added, "My boss was just happy for me. It's a big company and they'll be OK. Everyone's just pleased for us."
Hull has a reputation for unclaimed jackpots. Two major unclaimed jackpots in the city were £2 million in 1996, and £1.25 million in 1999.
That ticket would probably be sitting in that drawer if that advertisement hadn't been made. I am dumbfounded that somebody would buy a lottery ticket and not even bother to check the numbers. Every time you buy a ticket it has the potential (albeit a very small potential) to be worth millions of dollars and for someone not to even check the numbers tells me some people could care less if they won that money or not.
God Bless you guys.......i am waiting on my time ...cause I am next in line...for a miracle....spend wisely!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hmmmm....another Win D and another Winner2be~~~
"Win d" & "winner2b"...
Lucky them!
Me next! Me next!
cool.may fate be kinder to them than jack whitaker....
Who's next? You!!!! OK Fine. BUT I'm jumping Q and be ahead of you. MAY GOB BLESS ALL LOTTO PLAYERS.
CHEERS.
Article said : Joanne Austin said, "We always use the same numbers so I recognized them straight away.
I wonder how long she's been waiting for this hit
That ticket would probably be sitting in that drawer if that advertisement hadn't been made. I am dumbfounded that somebody would buy a lottery ticket and not even bother to check the numbers. Every time you buy a ticket it has the potential (albeit a very small potential) to be worth millions of dollars and for someone not to even check the numbers tells me some people could care less if they won that money or not.
wish i could find a crumpled ticket worth that much.....