Two ‘secret millionaires’ could be living under your nose as mystery Ms J and Mr H both scooping £1million jackpot
YOU could have not one but two secret millionaires living in your neighbourhood after players scooped £1million each.
The lucky National Lottery players, whose identities have not been revealed, had a massive win and both come from the same English county.
One, only known as Ms J, bagged the jackpot prize online after she matched five main numbers and the Bonus Ball in the Lotto draw.
If that wasn’t enough, the winner, who played a personal selection of sentimental numbers, also won £30 in the same draw, having matched three main numbers.
She now intends to put her winnings towards buying a new home.
The other winner, known just as Mr H, also won £1million on the “£25M Cash Boost” instant win game.
Both winners hail from Essex.
The “£25M Cash Boost” game is available to play on the National Lottery app and costs £5 to play.
It offers a one in 2.43 overall chance of winning a prize.
National Lottery winners have the option of releasing their name, remain anonymous or even just have some details released through partial publicity.
The National Lottery’s senior winners’ advisor Andy Carter said: “What incredible news for these two lucky winners who have become millionaires overnight.
“Essex is clearly a very lucky area for our players. Huge congratulations.”
Each week, more than eight million players win on the National Lottery’s range of games.
Players who use the Lottery’s app can buy and check their tickets or on the National Lottery website, as well as buying and checking tickets in shops.
Around £30milion is generated each week for a range of good causes funded by the National Lottery.
This money helps finance projects around the country, with more than 685,000 grants – supporting projects both big and small – having been made across the UK so far.
Anyone feeling lucky might want to give this weekend’s EuroMillions game a go as a massive £164million jackpot is up for grabs.
Earlier this month, a player has potentially won a National Lottery jackpot of more than £11million, although the claim still has to be validated.
Operator Allwyn confirmed it has received a claim for the £11,449,068 prize won in the Lotto ‘Must Be Won’ draw on June 8.
Earlier this year one couple thought they’d only bagged £2.60 on the lottery – but soon discovered they had scooped the £61million jackpot.
Richard and Debbie Nuttall, both 54, from Colne, Lancashire, took home the life-changing sum in the EuroMillions draw on Tuesday, 30 January 2024.
Meanwhile, a retired couple revealed how they almost missed out on a whopping £57million after their lottery ticket was ripped in half.
Fred, 73, and his wife Lesley Higgans, 63, were stunned after realising they’d won the Euromillions jackpot.
Plus, one woman who took a punt on a spare fiver was stunned when she landed a £1million windfall.
Marlyn Anderson, 70, and husband Ian, 77, turned their left-over change into an eye-watering jackpot after buying a Lucky Dip ticket in the EuroMillions draw.
UK's biggest lottery winners
By Ethan Singh
- Anonymous winner – £195,707,000
A UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022 – the biggest National Lottery win of all time.
The holder, who remains anonymous to this day, amassed the fortune with just one lucky ticket.
- Joe and Jess Thwaite – £184,262,899.10
Britain’s previous EuroMillions record holders were Joe and Jess Thwaite.
The couple won a record-breaking £184million jackpot in May 2022 and shared hopes of a Hawaiian holiday and a new horse box for their children’s ponies.
Joe bought his winning ticket online on May 10, 2022, and the following morning received an email with good news.
As he learnt of the huge win, he was in disbelief and initially kept it for himself as he did not want to disturb his wife, who was sleeping.
Joe, a communications sales engineer, and Jess, who runs a hairdressing salon with her sister, have been married for 11 years and have two children.
- Colin and Chris Weir, £161,653,000
Colin and Christine Weir landed the colossal prize money in 2011 and were Europe’s second-biggest winners until someone in Italy won a jackpot worth £193m in 2019.
They splashed the cash at an astounding rate of £100,000 a week before tragedy struck.
But at the time of Colin’s death in December 2019 his share of the prize money had dwindled by around £40m.
He spent the millions living a life of luxury, forking out for sports cars, property and the football club he supported.
Colin and Christine divorced shortly before his death after being married for 38 years.
He left money for their children Carly and Jamie.
- Adrian and Gillian Brayford – £148,600,000
Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million.
But Adrian split from Gillian the following year because of the stress of the win.
The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021.
After divorcing in 2013, he failed to woo ex-sausage factory worker Marta Jarosz — but fell for stable girl Sam Burbidge.
She left him in 2017, taking 30 prize horses Adrian bought.
It might have worked out in the end for Adrian though as the former postman was seen smiling with ambulance worker Tracey Biles last year.
- Frances and Patrick Connolly – £114,969,775
Former social worker and teacher Frances set up two charitable foundations after she and her husband hit the jackpot.
They scooped almost £115 million on New Year’s Day 2019.
She estimates that she has already given away £60 million to charitable causes, as well as friends and family.
- Richard and Debbie Nuttall – £61,000,000
The couple from Colne, Lancashire, took home £61 million on January 30 2024.
Both 54, they were enjoying a holiday in Fuerteventura, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.
But they then discovered the big EuroMillions win.
Richard revealed they originally thought they had won £2.60, but then received another email telling the pair to check their account.
Other eye-watering anonymous winners:
- 2019 – £123million
Another anonymous winner scooped up a prize of £123,458,008 in the June Superdraw rollover.
- 2021 – £122million
Following nine rollovers, one ticketholder bagged the £122,550,350 jackpot last April.
The successful participant chose to remain anonymous.
- 2018 – £121million
Another anonymous winner found their fortune during the Superdraw jackpot rollover in April 2018, securing £121,328,187.