Posted on 20 January 2010
The dream of winning the UK National Lottery or the EuroMillions draw is strong for most players, but some may be more susceptible to believing in scams that are simply too good to be true. The most recent victim in a EuroMillions lottery scam making its way across the UK and the continent was an elderly woman hailing from Aberdeen, who has duped out of £24,000 as she followed the instructions of a man pretending to be acting in an official lottery operator capacity.
The woman received a falsified notice that she had won a substantial monetary prize through the draw, and was persuaded to make two distinct payments into separate UK business accounts in order to be able to claim her prize. Authorities investigating the scam have noted that the sophisticated use of seemingly legitimate bank accounts and names may have played a significant role in convincing the woman that she had really won.
Lottery officials have reminded their players that contacting the operator of the draw directly to verify a win before taking any action is of the utmost importance, and further caution that contact from those alleging to be authorities should be taken with several grains of salt. Recent EuroMillions and other lottery scams have been circulating via email, phone, and post, and are often marked by realistic logos, stationary, and other paraphernalia, making the need to double-check correspondence and notifications especially pronounced.
Popularity: 14% [?]
Posted on 18 January 2010
While lottery players have certainly shown their prowess in wins of the UK National Lottery over the years, UK players’ performances in the multi-national EuroMillions draws have been positively stellar, with a long list of mega millionaires created from the popular game. This week, another UK winner learned of their sudden windfall of £26.1 million after splitting a £52.3 million jackpot with an unidentified player in France. After the winning numbers were announced on Friday, players waited in anticipation for the winners to come forward, and the lucky UK participant kept onlookers anxious with nearly a full day of waiting before contacting the lottery authorities to stake their claim.
Of course, the precise timing of the win as well as the claim means that the massive check won’t be interacting with any eager UK banks until this morning, when some of the cash may be deposited in order to rack up some respectable interest –which could be as high as £50 thousand per month. When the funds are finally released into the winner’s hands, they’ll have to decide whether to make their identity public or to keep players wondering. Whether the winner is an individual or party of a syndicate is as yet unknown, though substantial recent wins for UK syndicates, including the Liverpool BT call centre winners who snatched £45.5 million late last year, have many taking their ticket purchasing strategies to new heights with lottery pools at work and in local communities.
Popularity: 16% [?]
Posted on 28 November 2009
One of the top items dreamt about wen considering lottery purchases is undoubtedly a dream home, and there are plenty of attractive models around the country –and in exotic locales throughout the world– waiting to tempt those who aren’t thwarted by considerable price tags. As details develop about the “Magnificent Seven,” the syndicate responsible for half of the recent mega EuroMillions lottery draw, many have wondered how the group will go about spending the oodles of cash they’ll suddenly find in their midst.
James Bennett, of the syndicate group, has recently revealed that he’ll be looking for a home, taking a much-desired break from the rigors of renting. Properties are lining up to present themselves to the newly-made millionaire, and real estate agents are buzzing about which estates might best suit the syndicate winners. In fact, one firm even admitted sending details on its most expensive properties in upscale Formby in the Lancashire coastal region to UK National Lottery operator Camelot in a bid to entice the winners.
From homes equipped with pizza ovens and a ludicrous number of LCD televisions to period estates dripping with antique charm, Bennett and his fellow winners have plenty of options from which to choose as they browse through properties designed for opulent lifestyles. Of course, there’s always the option of starting from scratch. If you were among the Magnificent Seven, how would your home shopping take shape?
Popularity: 7% [?]
Posted on 11 November 2009
Some people may have been anxiously awaiting a six-time rollover of the EuroMillions lottery last Friday, hoping that the outrageous 90 € million prize would climb even higher for this week’s jackpot. But such onlookers were disappointed when it surfaced that the jackpot was won by two lucky ticket holders, each entitled to over 45.5 € million. As verification processes were underway on Monday, pictures of the winners began to form: one couple with ownership of a single ticket were identified, as was a major Liverpool syndicate of BT call centre employees.
The stunning prize has been hailed by many as an unbelievable amount of money, and even when split in half, the sum is likely to give the winning ticket holders quite a challenge in terms of managing to spend the cash. Whether the UK will soon see stories of exorbitant spending sprees or receive further reports of lottery winners who prefer to live in their original homes and carry out their lives in a normal fashion remains to be seen, though the winners are likely to be closely followed.
The scores of people who found their tickets lacking the magic numbers for the grand prize do, of course, still have the opportunity to play in this week’s game, or in the UK National Lottery. Though the jackpot might not be quite as hair-raising, it’s bound to help someone find their life entirely changed and their sense of personal luck quite empowered.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Posted on 06 November 2009
A good jackpot always helps to make lottery games seem a bit more enticing, but there’s nothing “bit” about today’s EuroMillions jackpot, which sits at over 90 million euro as a result of having rolled over five times without a jackpot winner. The incredible amount, comprising more than many people would find themselves able to spend (though we’re sure some courageous attempts could be made), has created quite a stir in the lotto world, with plenty of tickets being scooped up, lots of syndicates keeping their eyes on the prize, and countless hopes being directed towards the chance to realize such an enormous windfall.
It’s not all that common that a game experiences a five-time rollover, but it’s certainly good for business when it happens. Amidst economic struggles in which many industries are facing a decline in consumer interest, citing a greater conservative streak and a reticence to take chances, EuroMillions along with the National Lottery is doing just fine, and is attracting increasingly large numbers of players and observers to its game. Though it may seem tragic when a juicy jackpot goes unclaimed, the eye-popping amounts that can result from such circumstances are certainly fun to dream about, and provide plenty of imagination material for those who haven’t yet experienced their own slice of lottery luck with a luxury shopping spree.
Will the historic sum be bestowed upon a single lucky player today or will the game rollover for another week? Like many, we’re waiting with baited breath.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Posted on 28 October 2009
There are plenty of people keeping their fingers, toes, and well, hopefully not their eyes, crossed as the draw for today’s UK National Lottery approaches, but a large number of lottery players likely have their eyes planted on an entirely different prize: the 71 million pound, quadruple-rollover jackpot on offer for Friday’s EuroMillions game. While it seems incredible that a triple rollover could have failed to find its rightful owner last week, there is great hope for the lucky set of numbers to finally make its way into the luck of the game, at least in part because even beyond the hope of winning, many people are anxious to have the rollover over and done with. Of course, helping out with the task of ensuring that a quintuple pass doesn’t occur next week is fairly simple; it just requires purchasing a handful of extra tickets and showing the lucky picks who’s boss. Some people, however, hate to break with their own traditions and won’t buy extra tickets or try different numbers, no matter how persuasive the situation might become.
It can be challenging to stick to your guns and play your own way, but working with your own preferences when it comes to purchasing lottery tickets is likely to be the most rewarding solution. Just remember, when you find a fellow resident swimming in cash as the result of a major lottery win, you’ll need to fall back on those same personal preferences and traditions to avoid going green with envy.
Popularity: 5% [?]