Frenzy for tickets as jackpot hits £155m
BRITAIN is set to go Lotto crazy tonight as a jackpot of £155million comes up for grabs.
The EuroMillions prize is the second biggest ever on offer in the UK and Europe.
Around 300 tickets a second are expected to be sold in the UK as demand reaches its peak shortly before the 7.30pm draw in Paris.
The jackpot winner would become the 723rd richest person in Britain.
It would take them ahead of chef Jamie Oliver and singer Robbie Williams, each worth £150million, Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, who has £131million in the bank, and pop superstar Adele, who boasts a £125million fortune.
Wealthy City bankers are expected to blow thousands each as the country goes into a frenzy.
In-store sales of tickets in Canary Wharf and the City of London rocket by 300 per cent when there is a monster rollover, compared with 87 per cent across the rest of the country.
On one occasion, a City worker bought £15,000 of tickets.
The odds of landing the jackpot are one in 139 million.
Andy Carter, of The National Lottery, said: “The champagne is on ice and a giant cheque is at the ready to celebrate an extraordinary win.
“EuroMillions players help to raise the £30million plus we give to good causes every week. It supports projects across the country, funding local community projects to the nation’s amazing Olympic and Paralympic athletes.”
In 2011, Colin and Chris Weir from Largs, Ayrshire, became Europe’s biggest lottery winners with a £161million EuroMillions jackpot.
There have been five winners who scooped more than £100million. A LORRY driver is planning a dream trip to Hawaii after landing a EuroMillions windfall.
Hawaii Five-O fan Jim Forbes scooped £655,838 in last Friday’s draw.
The father of two is now planning a five-star trip to the paradise island with wife Pam.
Jim, of Tayport, Fife, said he had dreamed of visiting Hawaii since watching the police drama on TV.
As he popped champagne on the beach at Broughty Ferry, Dundee, with Pam, and children Aaron, 19, and 16-year-old Chloe, he said of his win: “I couldn’t believe it.
“I just kept thinking, ‘This doesn’t happen to people like me’.
“When I phoned in to work to tell them I wasn’t coming in on Monday, they couldn’t believe it.
“I’m known as a joker and they thought I was messing around.
“It started to sink in a bit on Monday morning when I asked Pam if we’d really won – that’s when I burst into tears.”
Jim added: “I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii. I used to watch Hawaii Five-O and wish I was there.
“The dream is to walk down the stairs of a plane and be greeted at the bottom with a lei garland. I can make that come true now.”
Pam said she still couldn’t believe their good fortune. And she added that she hopes the win won’t change too much for the family
She said: “I work in a Spar shop in St Andrews and want to continue there as I like it.
“I don’t really want to change anything. A wee shopping trip to New York would be nice, though.”
Aaron, who is hoping for some nice Christmas presents, said: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’ve started driving and I’ve been saving up for a car, so that would be nice.”
Jim matched five numbers and one Lucky Star in the draw .
His winning numbers were 6, 11, 31, 39 and 42 and the Lucky Stars numbers were 1 and 3.
Jim, who bought his ticket from the Tesco Extra on Kingsway, Dundee, plans to buy a new home – it will be the first he has owned as he has rented until now.
He also intends to splash out on a campervan for “weekends away”.
Jim said he is keen to visit the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii, which is dedicated to those killed in the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbour in 1941.