A woman in Wiltshire, England has been participating in lottery drawings for several years. Despite her husband’s advice to stop wasting money and his teasing that she would never win in her lifetime, she persisted in participating and unexpectedly won a luxury mansion worth millions of dollars and some cash. She jokingly said that this is why she never listens to her husband.
According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on January 16, the 59-year-old woman named Nicola Dickinson won a top-notch holiday villa through the “Omaze Million Pound House Draw” charity event.
This £4.5 million (US$6.03 million) mansion is located in the Lake District and features multiple suites, a gym, sauna, hot tub, and a private lake.
The new house comes without the need for a mortgage, and stamp duty and legal fees are all included. The couple can choose to live in it, rent it out, or sell it. They also received £250,000 (US$335,000) in cash for living expenses or maintaining the property.
Nicola mentioned that her husband Martyn had always told her not to participate in the lottery anymore, and even taunted her saying she would “never win in a million years.” But this win proves why she should never listen to her husband.
She said, “I’ve been participating in this event for 4 years. Martyn has always advised me to stop, but even if I hadn’t won, I could support those great charities, and I like that. But after winning, I realized why I’ve never listened to him. Thank goodness I didn’t listen to him – we are now millionaires.”
When she received the call informing her about the win, she “could hardly believe it.” They celebrated over the weekend with lots of champagne, canceling their Dry January plan.
The couple has 3 children and 3 grandchildren, and they have been living in the same house in Swindon for the past 30 years. This win will provide a better life for their children and grandchildren.
Nicola said, “We’ve been striving all our lives, not just for ourselves but for our family, and this win has truly changed all our lives.”
She added, “We look forward to continuing to support our children and grandchildren, helping them have the best start in life – this win feels like a generational legacy for our family.”
According to the Swindon Advertiser, Nicola and Martyn have been married for 38 years. She worked in the human resources department for 28 years before retiring in 2019 and now helps care for her granddaughter and relatives. Martyn is currently a sales director at a self-storage construction company. For the past 20 years, he has traveled to Europe for work at least 3 days a week.
Nicola mentioned that if they decide to keep the mansion, they can use the £250,000 cash to cover its expenses for many years. If they choose not to live in the house long-term, they can rent it out for additional income, or sell it after some time. Local real estate agents estimate that the property’s long-term rental value is around £4,000 per month (US$5,358).