Carer quits her job after winning jackpot worth $19k-a-month for 30 years
A hardworking carer says her life has been changed after scoring a $7 million jackpot worth $19,000-a-month for the next 30 years.
One lucky Brit has revealed how she almost lost out on £3.6 million ($A7 million) in the National Lottery after her mum thought it was a scam.
Joanne Jobson from Hartlepool, County Durham, bagged the top prize on Set For Life and now gets £10,000 ($A19,400) a month for 30 years.
The hardworking carer admitted she almost missed out on the prize money after her mum believed it was a scam, The Sun reports.
After Ms Jobson, 51, logged in and found she had won an eye-watering amount of cash, she rushed to tell her mum, who she lives with.
“I jumped out of bed and went to tell my mum,” she said.
Ms Jobson added, “I remember just saying to mum ‘I think I might have won a lot of money’ and showing her my phone.
“Mum was convinced it was a scam, so I googled the winning Set For Life numbers for the same date to see if they matched — which of course they did.”
It was only when Ms Jobson got through to staff at the National Lottery that she realised her life had changed forever.
The lucky Brit is now set to splash her cash on a new home and luxury holidays.
Ms Jobson, who cares for children with disabilities, said, “I’m so excited to be able to buy my own home and I have already started house hunting.”
After spending most of her life working nights and saving hard, Ms Jobson now looks forward to being financially stable, as well as the opportunity to have new experiences.
“At 51 this win literally changes everything for me, I now have peace of mind knowing I’m financially secure until I’m 81,” she said.
She added, “I’m going from working nights and saving hard to being able to buy things when I want and plan holidays I could only have dreamt of before.
“I do like going on holiday to Spain, but now I’m looking forward to some more exotic destinations like Barbados and the Maldives — two places that have always been on my wish list.”
She told ITV she was unable to sleep on the Saturday until the win was confirmed, so she worked another night shift that evening.
“By Sunday I was exhausted and I finally said to my mum that perhaps it was time to hand in my notice,” she said.
The jackpot winner admitted that she played several National Lottery games but only started playing Set For Life five months ago.
“I have the National Lottery app but don’t play any specific game regularly, I just play when I fancy it,” she said.
“I started playing Set For Life five months ago and generally only play a Lucky Dip when I do.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think when I played that I’d actually win — I didn’t think things like this happened to real people like me, but I’m proof they really do.”
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission
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