AN OVER-THE-MOON jackpot winner has confessed to being ‘born lucky’ after scooping a massive £100,000 on the Health Lottery.
Great grandfather Dennis Sadler, from Evesham, was left ecstatic after winning the six-figure cash prize after buying a ticket from his local post office in Hampton.
It started off as just a normal Saturday night for 67-year-old Dennis and his wife Dianne, who have been together for more than 50 years, before their numbers came up on the screen to claim the top prize.
What made Dennis’ win even more special was the numbers he chose all meant something to him with them being the birthdays of his some of family.
“I watched it 5 to 10, Saturday night, I always watch it with Anne Diamond,” Dennis said.
“I always have the numbers in my head, so normally as soon as the first 2 or 3 don’t come up I don’t bother. But when I saw
number 31, I thought, ‘good start’.
“Then number 11 – ‘2 out of 2’ 18 – ‘That’s 3 out of 3’ 26, ‘that’s me’. And we were left on number 1, our youngest daughter’s birthday, and I couldn’t make out if it was 7 or 1 at first until Anne finally said it was number 1.
“When the numbers came up I was excited. I’m not a very excitable person, but I knew the top prize was £100,000.
“You’re a bit stunned at first, I thought: ‘I’m the only person in Great Britain who could have had these numbers’. You know, having personal numbers – I was born lucky.
“I told my wife Dianne but it wasn’t until I looked at my neighbour’s paper the following morning I knew it was perfect. I said to Dianne, ‘Looks like we’ve won £100,000.”
“I normally get my tickets from the local Post Office. Every Friday morning, I go at the same time and get the same numbers each week for the Health Lottery.
“The kiddie from the Post Office who does it knows the numbers. It’s handy, it’s only five minutes away and you’re there, no problem. I usually do that and then shoot off uptown.”
Following the life-changing win Dennis has already bought two cars for his family and plans to celebrate in style by spending time in the sun with his wife, two daughters, four grandsons and his great-grandson.
“We will be going on holiday now,” he added.
“Both our girls have bought a BMW each, that’s already out the money, like. I paid for that, that’s what they wanted, so that’s it, we got it for them.
“We also needed a new conservatory, so it’s just about come at the right time.”
Mimi Turner, director of marketing at The Health Lottery, said: “I am so happy for Dennis and his family, this is what The Health Lottery is about, stories like this – a really lovely man and how the win will help his family.”
The Post Office where lucky Dennis bought his jackpot winning ticket. Picture by Nigel Slater.
