UK National Lottery: Lottery Winner Almost Did Not Buy TicketThe 1,700th UK National Lottery millionaire revealed today how he almost spurned the chance to buy the winning ticket but changed his mind and made one of the best decisions of my life.
Robotics engineer John Ellis, 48, was almost put off by a long queue to buy a ticket for last Saturdays draw at his local Morrisons supermarket in Redcar, Cleveland.
But when he saw it was raining outside, he decided to wait and bought the lucky dip ticket which saw him and 45-year-old wife Sue scoop £2,069,730 (US$3.8 million).
At a news conference in Albert Park, Middlesbrough, today, he said: The queue was right out of the door and I thought forget it, Ill get one when I get home but then I realised it was raining and I thought Id wait in the queue.
This ended up being one of the best decisions of my life. We must be blessed.
The couple went for a walk on the beach to take in their win before heading to their local pub for a calming drink.
Mr Ellis, who works for a firm in Stockton, Teesside, will consider giving up the job he loves to study horticulture at college.
He has already taken a £30,000 Saab 93 convertible for a test drive and they have planned a silver wedding anniversary trip to the Seychelles.
Mr Ellis, originally from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, moved to the North East in 2003 because of his job. The couple have two sons, one of whom lives with them while the other is in Somerset.
Mrs Ellis, a staff nurse, said she wanted to do the normal things first, like paying off their mortgage and credit cards.
As the Lottery approaches its 10th anniversary in November, local winners Mark and Cheryl Brudenell, who won £917,000 in 1997, were invited to the celebration today.
The couple, from Stockton, have set up a successful double-glazing business and have travelled to the Caribbean and the Maldives among other luxury destinations.
Mrs Brudenell said: Our advice is to have fun and enjoy it.
But I still havent achieved my ambition of meeting Robbie Williams yet so money cant buy you everything. But dreams do come true.
Mr Ellis was one of three winners of the £6.2 million October 16 jackpot, with the numbers 25, 32, 33, 36, 45 and 46.
