Winner recalls suspenseful phone call with National Lottery in which he questioned the prize

By Kate Northrop

A lottery winner from the United Kingdom mistook his £1 million EuroMillions Millionaire Maker prize for a lesser prize of £100,000 and recalled the most suspenseful phone call of his life.

Dave Williams, 58, recalled the moment the National Lottery put him on hold to verify what he thought was a £100,000 EuroMillions win, only for them to return and inform him he was wrong about how much he won.

The mechanic was scrolling through the Lottery's app in his office in Cardiff when he discovered what looked to be a £100,000 EuroMillions win waiting for him. He immediately phoned the Lottery.

"I think I've won £100,000," he told the representative on the call.

Much to his dismay, he was placed on a hold. When the National Lottery representative returned to the phone, they delivered the news in a way that made Williams' stomach somersault, flip, and turn.

"I thought I must have made a mistake, and it was actually a tenner, so [then] the gentleman came back on the line to say, 'Mr. Williams, you said you've won £100,000,' and paused," Williams recalled. "My heart really sank, only to leap once more when he continued."

"I'm pleased to tell you, you've actually won £1 million," the Lottery representative revealed.

The revelation had him "swearing loudly for a good five minutes."

He knew he had to share the news with his wife, Sarah, 55, right away, but she took it as a joke.

"I honestly thought Dave was winding me up," she said. "But when he showed me the ticket, and now when I see all those [zeros] in the bank account, I know it's for real."

The couple, who live in Cardiff in South Wales, said that the win is one of the most thrilling occasions they've celebrated so far, but it is eclipsed by the exciting addition of their first grandchild to the family.

"I didn't think anything could be more exciting than my son and his girlfriend giving us our first grandchild last year, but I think this is coming in a close second!" Sarah said.

The couple is hoping to buy their dream home with the winnings, but one experience they're hoping to check off their bucket list is to explore more of Wales and the rest of the U.K. in their camper van. However, they are putting any overseas trips on hold until Sarah overcomes her fear of flying.

"I've always been scared to fly, and it's never been a serious problem, [but] now that the world really is our oyster, it feels like it's time to do something about it," she explained. "I didn't think I would ever overcome my fear of flying, but then I didn't ever think that Dave would win £1 million on EuroMillions."

Williams battled throat cancer in the past, almost losing half of his jaw and undergoing reconstructive surgery and "extensive and aggressive treatment." Sarah also suffers multiple health problems, including spondylitis, a type of arthritis that involves inflammation in the joints and ligaments of the spine. The condition limits her freedom of movement and leaves her in near constant pain.

With this lottery win, they feel enabled to live life to the fullest and treasure every precious moment.

"We've both had it tough in recent years, so we're not wasting any time," Williams elaborated. "We know that every minute is a gift. While it's been really tough, we're still here. This win feels like the light at the end of a very long tunnel, and for once, it's not the train coming toward us."

Thanks to dannyct for the tip.