How EuroMillions Winners Claimed £58 Million Jackpot With A Ripped Ticket

Fred and Lesley Higgins have revealed how they almost missed out on a £57.9 million EuroMillions jackpot after their winning ticket was torn in half and thrown in the bin by a retailer. Luckily for the Scottish couple, the entry was salvaged and they were able to claim the gigantic prize.

The husband and wife from Aberdeenshire became the UK’s latest big EuroMillions winners on Tuesday 10th July when they matched all five main numbers and both Lucky Stars. It was only announced two weeks later that the jackpot had been claimed, and Fred and Lesley have now decided to go public to share their story.

Recalling what had happened when he went to the local store to have their numbers checked, Fred, 67, said: “I handed the ticket over and the young man put it through the machine, telling me it wasn't a winner. He ripped the ticket in two and threw it into the bin, as they would with all non-winning tickets.

“But this time, the terminal produced a chitty which said I needed to retain my ticket and call Camelot. The retailer immediately grabbed it out of the bin and handed it to me, not realising it was a winner before he discarded it!”

Are Damaged Tickets Still Valid?

The numbers were still clear even though the ticket had been ripped and Fred went home to check the results. Having realised they had won the jackpot, he woke his wife up from a snooze and called National Lottery operator Camelot to explain the situation. Fred still felt calm at this point, saying it was ‘just sinking in’.

Camelot’s security team paid the Higgins’ a visit to verify the claim was genuine and study CCTV footage from the shop. Once the win had been validated, they could finally get their hands on the money and look forward to a bright future as multi-millionaires.

The Higgins’ were fortunate that the winning numbers were still visible as damaged tickets will not always be eligible to claim prizes. You need to provide information to prove that you bought the entry in question, such as the date, time and location you played, along with the numbers you played, and you must file your appeal within 30 days. The National Lottery will then investigate thoroughly before paying out a prize. Visit the Damaged Lottery Tickets page to find out more.

Barbados Beckons For Happy Couple

Fred and Lesley, who have been married for 35 years, become the 14th-largest lottery winners from the UK. They are excited about the opportunities that an eight-figure windfall will provide, and plan to explore the world before maybe settling down somewhere overseas.

Lesley, 57, has already handed in her notice at her job with the Montrose Port Authority, and they have made a brand new Audi Cabriolet their first purchase. Fred, a retired Audi administrator, said: “We had a really comfortable life before the win, but we did have dreams of living abroad. We love Gozo, which is where my niece lives, so we always thought we would get somewhere out there.

“But I have to say since we won, I've got my eye on somewhere in France and Lesley seems to be looking at a property in Barbados. I think it might be fun to explore a few places before we commit to buying anything.”

Next EuroMillions Draw

The EuroMillions jackpot grows rapidly from one draw to the next every time there is a rollover, and it has already climbed back up to £61 million. If you want to enter the next draw on Friday and possibly become even richer than the Higgins’, you can take part online or visit an authorised retailer. Once you have played, you can use the EuroMillions Checker to see if you have won.

Published: Thursday 2nd August 2018

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