The UK’s 10 biggest lottery winners
A Gloucestershire couple has come forward as the winners of the UK’s biggest-ever National Lottery prize after securing the £184 million EuroMillions jackpot that was announced last week.
Joe and Jess Thwaite said they wanted to go public with their win because they didn’t want the “burden” of keeping it a secret from others.
The winning numbers were 3, 25, 27, 28 and 29 - plus Lucky Star numbers 4 and 9, Camelot said.
During a press conference on Thursday 19 May, Mr Thwaite said the couple wants to get back “as quickly as possible” to normal life.
Here are the 10 biggest UK lottery prizes and what the winners chose to do with their fortunes.
1. £184 million, 2022
Joe and Jess Thwaite have been named as the winners of the £184,262,899.1 lottery draw which was won on Tuesday 10 May.
During a press conference where they revealed their identities, Mr Thwaite said he found out about his win through the National Lottery app.
Before telling his wife of the win, as the pair were still in bed, he went on Rightmove and turned off the pricing filter when looking for a home.
During the press conference he added that they have been looking to move home for a while, and that coming forward means that they can take their friends and family on holiday without having to explain where the money came from.
2. £170 million, 2019
The second biggest winner of the National Lottery scooped £170,221,000 in October 2019. The winner chose to remain anonymous.
3. £161 million, 2011
This £161,653,000 million jackpot was won by Colin and Chris Weir from Largs, North Ayrshire.
They used £2.5 million of their large fortune to invest in Colin’s favourite football club, Partick Thistle, which led to one of the stands at the stadium being named after him.
He also acquired a 55 per cent shareholding in the club. This was passed into the hands of the local community following his death in December 2019, aged 71.
Prior to Colin’s death, the pair also set up the Weir Charitable Trust in 2013 and donated £1 million to the Scottish independence referendum in 2014.
The couple divorced in September 2019, months before Colin’s death.
4. £148 million, 2012
Adrian and Gillian Bayford won €190 million in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million.
They announced their separation in 2013 and have reportedly split their fortune evenly.
5. £123 million, 2019
Another anonymous winner scooped up a prize of £123,458,008 in the June Superdraw rollover.
6. £122 million, 2021
Following nine rollovers, one ticketholder bagged the £122,550,350 jackpot last April. The successful participant chose to remain anonymous.
7. £121 million, 2018
Another anonymous winner found their fortune during the Superdraw jackpot rollover in April 2018, securing £121,328,187.
8. £114 million, 2019
Frances Connolly and her husband Patrick won £114,969,775 in the EuroMillions.
Frances recently disclosed that she has already given £60 million of her fortune to charitable causes.
She also revealed the first thing she and Patrick did upon learning the good news. “We stared at each other for about five minutes, stood up, gave each other a hug and I said I’ll go and put the kettle on, shall I?” she told Sky News.
9. £113 million, 2010
This ticketholder chose to remain anonymous after winning £113,019,926 in the National Lottery in October 2010.
10. £111 million 2021
The 10th biggest lottery draw took place in June 2021. The £111,540,000 prize was won by one person, who chose to remain anonymous.
