A grandfather from Wigan has won a dream £2m villa in Spain - for a £25 stake in a charity prize draw.
The 57-year-old legal consultant won the stunning three-story, four-bedroom luxury villa in Marbella after nine failed entries in the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, alongside £250,000 in cash.
Mark, who declined to reveal his surname, said: "I'd never won so much as a church raffle before... it was tenth time lucky."
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His stroke of fortune was even more lucky as this was the first time the fundraising platform ran it's first 'superdraw' featuring a property abroad. The draw also raised £800,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Wigan born-and-bred Mark, a legal consultant for more than 25 years, and his wife of 22 years, Deborah, 55, a bereavement counsellor, moved south in 2019 and now live in Devon with their two pet dogs and a cat, all rescued.
Mark learned about his whopping win in a joyous Zoom call.
He said: "I couldn’t believe it when Omaze called me to say I’d won the grand prize, I was out of the country with work so called my wife straightaway – she was even more flabbergasted than I was as she had no idea I’d even entered!
"I’d entered nine Omaze draws before this, so my persistence has certainly paid off – it’s tenth time lucky I guess! You never imagine you’ll end up winning, but even if you don’t win anything, you’re still helping a really good cause - such as Teenage Cancer Trust.
"I’d never won so much as a church raffle before, so this is truly mindboggling. This win is lifechanging for the whole family, the £250,000 cash provides peace of mind in these challenging times – I’m still pinching myself.
"I’ve always struggled to get my work, life balance right, but this gives us financial stability - I love my job, but to know I could retire tomorrow is an incredible feeling.
"The villa looks absolutely marvelous, I’m not sure what we’ll do with it yet - we’ll probably keep it for a couple of years so we can enjoy family holidays there, I’ll be dusting off my trunks as soon as I’m back! I went to Spain 20 years ago for work, but have never been to Marbella - it looks lovely - I’ll have to brush up on my Spanish, but I do know how to order a cerveza!”
Located on Marbella’s famous Golden Mile, the 12,000 sq ft villa will provide an idyllic holiday retreat for Mark and his family. It boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and a living room and dining area connected by a large built-in fireplace that sits in the centre of the villa.
The kitchen has a breakfast bar with granite worktops, stainless steel units and a bar area for cocktails at sunset. A rooftop solarium offers panoramic views of the Mediterranean and the Sierra Blanca mountains.
As well as making Mark a multi-millionaire, the Marbella draw also raised £800,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust - money which will help pay for specialist nurses, youth support teams and hospital units in the NHS.
Paul McKenzie, director of engagement at the trust, said: "The £800,000 raised is truly staggering and we can’t thank Omaze and its community enough!
"Everything we provide to get young people with cancer through the toughest times imaginable – our specialist hospital units, nurses and youth teams – are entirely dependent on the money we’re able to fundraise.
“So, to put it simply, without the support of Omaze and the generosity of the public, nothing we do would be possible. In 2020 Teenage Cancer Trust was the first UK charity to partner with Omaze and the money raised by the first draw, at a time when our fundraised income dropped off a cliff due to the pandemic, was truly lifechanging.
"Since then, Omaze has proved itself to be a fantastic way for many other charities to raise money and given millions of pounds to so many good causes. With times now tougher than ever we’re so proud to continue our work together."
James Oakes, of Omaze, said: "We’re delighted that Mark has won his dream home - and was able to contribute to this fantastic £800,000 raise for Teenage Cancer Trust in the process.
"Omaze is a win-win for both charities and entrants. By offering incredible prizes, like this stunning villa in Marbella, we give people the chance to win the house of their dreams, while also introducing charities to audiences they wouldn’t usually be able to reach. This method of fundraising is helping to make a big difference to good causes across the UK."
It brings the total raised for good causes in the UK by Omaze to £8.3m. The next Omaze draw is for a five-bedroom farmhouse in the Lake District worth £2.5m.
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