Couple Win R255 Million in UK Lottery, Decide to Share the Cash With Loved Ones

Couple Win R255 Million in UK Lottery, Decide to Share the Cash With Loved Ones

  • A UK couple won R255-million in a lottery jackpot back in 2010
  • At first, Sharon and Nigel Mather kept their winnings a secret but soon decided sharing their wealth with those they love would be the best option
  • All in all, the couple has awarded cheques to 30 close family members and friends

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11-years after winning an incredible R255 million jackpot, a UK couple continue to do good for those they love. Sharon and Nigel Mather won a life-changing £12.4m( R255 million) back in 2010 and had chosen to keep their winning a secret for a short while.

Sharon and Nigel Mather, Couple, R255 million, share cash, loved ones
Sharon and Nigel Mather won R255 million in the UK lottery. Images: Getty
Source: Getty Images

However, the hotel manager and finance worker soon realised it would make helping their friends and family much easier by simply being honest about their situation.

The pair picked up the ticket while on holiday and only discovered they had won when they returned home, Manchester Evening News reports.

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Sharon checked the number via the TV while husband Nigel had been out on his usual grocery run. Apparently, Sharon usually chose the lotto number but this time around decided to switch things up.

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Opening up about discovering the win, she had this to say:

"It was surreal," she says. "It was like you had come out of your body and looking down."

Not wanting to enjoy the cash all by themselves, the couple made a list of 30 close family members and friends they hoped to help with the cash injection, East Coast Radio reports.

"My husband used to be a hotel manager and he made a spreadsheet and went round to about 30 friends and family’s houses and it was almost like Secret Millionaire.

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"We made a little card and put a cheque in it and gave it to them."

Sharon added that their decision was not about showing off but about helping the people closest to them. The cash was definitely not a reflection of the couples own wealth but they only hope the money will make a difference in the lives of those they love.

R17 million Powerball winner knows exactly what he is spending his winnings on

In more lottery news, Briefly News previously reported that a 47-year-old electrician has been awarded R17 million from the Powerball Plus Jackpot draw on the 27th of July.

National Lottery operator Ithuba announced that the winning ticket holder had come forward to collect his winnings on Tuesday.

The father of two children is getting married in December and plans on using some of his winnings to finance the wedding. He plans on investing the rest of the jackpot in a telecommunications company.

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According to SowetanLive, the winning ticket was purchased hours before the draw from a Super Spar at the Silver Oaks Crossing Centre in Pretoria. The lucky winner had bought his ticket mere hours before the draw took place.

TimesLIVE reported that the winner also plans on building a house for his family. He also plans an exotic honeymoon once the pandemic is over.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Naomi Kobbie avatar

Naomi Kobbie Naomi is an entertainment writer with 3 years experience in the world of radio and print media. She is a language graduate from the University of Pretoria (2020) and has worked for Briefly News since 2021. Naomi has a passion for the written word, whether through her work as a journalist or as a soulful singer. "When I'm not working, I spend my time producing music, travelling or snuggling up with a good movie and some butter popcorn."