"Truly life changing" moment sees new mum win a mansion
Just months before their daughter’s first birthday, a young family has seen their fortunes change dramatically - all because of a £10 lotto ticket.
UK resident Becca Pott won an extravagant $6.6 million home, allowing her and her husband to move with their newborn baby from a camped two-bedroom apartment into a sprawling five-bedroom, four-bathroom mansion.
The 32-year-old, who hails from southeast England, entered the Omaze Million Pound House Draw and was the lucky winner after buying a ticket for just $18.
But the family almost missed out on the prize.
“My husband [Ben] had entered every Omaze Million Pound House Draw prior to this one, but somehow he’d forgotten on this occasion,” Becca told Jam Press. “But luckily I decided to buy a £10 ticket bundle in January without him knowing after seeing the house on television.
“I’m never going to let him live this down!”
Prior to their win, Becca was on maternity leave from her job as a financial analyst after giving birth to Ava, their eight-month-old daughter, last summer.
Their new white stucco home in the upscale neighbourhood of Ascot features views of a private garden, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and high ceilings throughout.
“The house is incredible. We’ve been wanting to move to somewhere bigger since our daughter Ava was born, now she’ll be having her first birthday in a mansion,” Becca said.
“We didn’t have space for her grandparents to come and stay in our two-bedroom flat, but now they can have the entire third floor when they visit.”
Not only did the couple win the home, the prize also covers all property taxes and legal fees associated with it, and comes with an extra $37,600 to help them settle in.
Becca and Ben are also free to do with the home as they wish, with the option to live in the house themselves, rent it out or sell it out.
For the moment, the family will enjoy their win before deciding what they’ll do heading into the future.
“This win is truly life-changing for us,” Becca said. “We’ll stay here and enjoy the house for the summer at least, but whatever we decide to do, we know Ava is set for life.”
But the couple aren’t the only winners from the draw, which raised nearly $680,000 for Cancer Research UK. The donations will help the charity fund projects such as TRACERX, the largest genetic study investigating how lung cancer evolves and why treatments stop working, Jam Press reports.
The draw is also backed by the charity’s long standing ambassador, Ronan Keating.
“So many of us, myself included, have been affected by cancer,” he told Jam Press.
“I’ve been a proud supporter of Cancer Research UK for many years and have seen first-hand the difference research makes to those affected by cancer.”
Images: Omaze UK (YouTube), Jam Press/Omaze