A Scots dad who has scooped a whopping £10,000 a month for a year in a massive lotto win has promised to take his family on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Disney World.
Steven Dunbar couldn't believe his luck when he matched five main numbers in the ‘Set for Life’ draw on Monday, November 28, with a Lucky Dip that he bought on the National Lottery website.
The 37-year-old from Grangemouth normally scrambles to check his emails first thing after playing the lottery every Monday and Thursday, but the win was especially poignant this year as Steven has gone through a hard time, having lost a close friend and two family members within the space of just a few months.
With plans for a quiet, low-key Christmas, the dad-of-two is over the moon that the monthly windfall will now allow him to whisk his kids off to the happiest place on earth to raise everyone's spirits and start the year off right.
Steven explained: “It was about 6.30am when I read the email while getting ready for work - I couldn’t believe it! You’re always hoping for good news, but you never really think it will happen to you.
“I ran straight through to the bedroom to get my partner, Rebecca, out of bed. She’s not usually a morning person, but I’ve never seen her move that fast!
"I then called my mum to tell her the good news. Everyone has been so happy for us – it really has brought a bit of hope and joy to everyone around us.
"I just kept thinking, ‘give us a break’ - and then this happened! This has given us the lift we needed. We want to take the girls to Florida, and we’d also love to visit New York.
"Our loved ones must be looking over us. It has been a gift from heaven. It’s been a hard year for everyone, so I really want to spread hope – it really can happen to hard working people like us."
Steven's imagination is already beginning to run wild with all the things he could do with his new-found fortune. As well as a fun-filled holiday, he is also thinking about converting his loft to create his very own 'man cave'.
Steven joked: “This win has been so special for us that I’m going to create something of a shrine to The National Lottery in the man cave to ensure we never forget this feeling – I think the giant cheque will look great on the wall!
“It’ll be like winning 12 times over! Getting a lump sum into our account each month will feel like winning all over again. And what better time to prove to Rebecca that it’s a good idea than during the World Cup when she’s sick of the football being on the TV every single day?"
He added: "This win has given us options. Yes, we could pay off our mortgage, but we’d be doing that anyway. So why not enjoy it and do things we might not have been able to in the past? Life is too short."
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