Great Grandfather Wins £3m On Lottery With Lucky Dip Ticket - Sky News

To view this content you need Flash and Javascript enabled in your browser.

Please download Flash from the Adobe download website.

5:01pm UK, Tuesday March 06, 2012

Gamal Fahnbulleh, Sky News reporter

A great grandfather is celebrating after winning more than £3.5m with one of his first ever lottery tickets.

George Keates, 77, hit the jackpot on February 29 and bagged £3,507,769 . It was only the 10th time he had bought a ticket.

He now plans to travel to Australia with his wife Beryl, 74, to visit a friend who is in a care home.

The couple are now planning a trip to see a friend in Australia

Mr Keates, from Southport, said: "I only bought the ticket because it was a big rollover and I just did a Lucky Dip.

"It was lucky number 10 for me as this is the 10th occasion since the lottery started that I have bought a ticket. My wife plays the lottery all of the time and I didn't even tell her I had bought a ticket."

The pensioner realised he had won the day after buying the ticket.

"I shouted to my wife who was upstairs at the time 'I've won the lottery, I've won the lottery'."

She did not believe him and replied: "No you haven't. Don't be pulling my leg."

The couple have been married for 57 years and have four sons, nine grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

They say their family will be well looked after and are also hoping to buy a new car and bungalow as well as the trip to Australia.

Mrs Keates said: "I just could not believe it when George told me he had won. I play every week but I do think that fate has come into play a little.

"Just the day before George won, I was in a taxi and we drove past the lottery office in Liverpool. The driver said to me. That's where you will be going when you win the lottery. A day later George hit the jackpot," he said.