Father tells of ecstatic moment he told teenage son he had won £1m on lottery
Paul Harvey, of Attleborough, Norfolk, plans to treat his two teenage children to their first foreign holiday together – to Greece.
The 51-year-old, full-time dad, who has had an unsettling two years following treatment for bowel cancer, also plans to buy a Fiat 500 for his daughter who is learning to drive.
'Life hasn't always been easy, but the kids mean the world to me, and they always come first,' he said.
'We have never been away abroad together, and I would love to take them both to Greece.
'But first we need to get our passports.'
Mr Harvey filmed the moment he broke the news of his win to his son, as the teenager got home from school.
With his voice cracking with emotion, Mr Harvey asked his son: 'How many millionaires do you know?'
His son, whose details he is keeping private, said 'zero, I've got not money', and Mr Harvey swore and told him: 'You do now.'
His son said: 'Shut up, you're joking, you're lying.'
Mr Harvey replied: 'On my life, a million pounds, mate.'
The pair then excitedly hugged, laughed and jumped around the kitchen.
'I wanted to tell the kids in person so when my son got home I set up my phone to record it,' said Mr Harvey.
'I got a massive lump in my throat as I asked him, 'how many millionaires do you know?''
Mr Harvey also plans to help his son and daughter as they near the end of their full-time education.
'I am so proud of what the kids have achieved already in life,' he said.
'They both have big ideas about what they want to do when they leave school, and I cannot wait to help them in their chosen careers.
'It's the important stuff like helping them to learn to drive and getting them a car and insurance so they can get to college and then work.
'My daughter has a driving test later this year and I would love to get her a second-hand Fiat 500 for her to practise in.'
Mr Harvey entered the EuroMillions draw on July 4 but did not realise he had won the life-changing sum until a week later.
He got an email from the National Lottery urging him to check his account and get in touch urgently, which he initially thought was a scam.
He won by matching the unique raffle code in the EuroMillions Millionaire Maker draw.
'It felt like forever waiting for the kids to get home from school so I could break the news,' he said.
'Their reactions were hilarious and heart-warming.
'We all feel ridiculously excited and relieved in equal measure.
'It just doesn't seem real.'
Mr Harvey, who previously lived in Cyprus, said: 'We can afford our very own home, and I can finally have my own bedroom rather than sleeping downstairs.
'And to go on a family holiday altogether will be fantastic.
'I can speak Greek fluently and I can't wait to show off to the kids.
'I lived in Cyprus for 12 years when I was younger.
'I would love to go back one day but for now it's a holiday in Greece for me and the kids.
'This win gives us so many more options, but I want to take my time and do it right.'
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Scottish Sun
26 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Maths expert reveals the tips to help you win the entire £172m jackpot TONIGHT
We also reveal the psychology behind picking the 'right' numbers and how to make your own lottery number picking game LOTTO CASH Maths expert reveals the top tips to help you win the ENTIRE £172million EuroMillions jackpot tonight Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) QUIT your job, travel round the world, buy a private island... what would you do with £172million? You'd better get planning, because statistics lottery expert Ben Parker has given us the lowdown on top tips to win tonight's monster Euromillions prize tonight. 3 There's a huge jackpot tonight - and you have to be in it to win it Credit: Getty 3 Stats pro Ben Parker is a whizz at crunching probabilities, and his tips could help YOU bag the mega Euromillions prize Ben Parker is a senior lecturer in statistics at Brunel University of London. He's previously crunched the numbers on how you can use maths to win at the hit TV show The Traitors - but now he's given us the inside scoop on tips that many think could increase your chances of winning the entire top prize. Euromillions is one of the most popular lottery games, so you'll need all the help picking the winning numbers in the bi-weekly battle against other players. You pick five numbers from 1-50 and two lucky stars from 1-12, or you can choose a lucky dip - which is when the numbers are randomly selected for you. The jackpot tonight has rolled over to a huge £172 million. Winning the prize would make you instantly richer than the likes of Adele, Dua Lipa and Harry Kane. Of course, the best way to increase your chances of winning is to buy more tickets - but only do that if you can afford it. Make sure you gamble responsibly and only gamble with money you can afford to lose. Set a money limit before playing. If you need advice, visit or Never pick 'right' numbers Statistically, each number has an equal chance of being drawn. That means that there are no numbers which are more likely to help you win. The trick is to pick numbers that players are least likely to pick. You don't want other people picking your numbers, because if you are lucky enough to win in tonight's game, that will mean you have to split the prize with other players. "The odds of winning the Euromillions is 140million to one," said Ben. "It's really unlikely that you will win, but if you do, you'll want to make sure you're the only one getting the prize." One of the main ways that you can avoid picking other people's numbers is to pick numbers on the left of the grid, and avoid those on the right. That's because studies show that people naturally gravitate towards the right-hand side. That's why retailers often place their higher value items to the right of the store, which is something known in the industry as the "invariant right". Should you buy more tickets? YOU'VE got to be in it to win it. Every time you buy a ticket the odds of winning increase. But WARNING - only spend what you can afford. At the end of the day, it's down to luck. This is why some people prefer to be part of a syndicate, where multiple tickets are bought. While this means you'll have to share the pot, the odds become more favourable each ticket you buy. Avoid "smaller" numbers A common tactic players use to choose their lottery numbers is to pick their "favourite" numbers, Ben said. These numbers tend to be lower numbers. He said: "People tend to pick birthdays, or pick 7 if they were born on the seventh month. "They might pick their children's birthday or their mum's birthday, or how old their dog is - people tend to pick these smaller numbers." If you want to increase your chances of winning the entire jackpot then you should avoid these smaller numbers. A good rule of thumb for what counts as a smaller number is one that falls outside birthdays dates, which are 1-31. So, aim for numbers between 32-50, as fewer people will be picking them. 'I went from living in a council house to bagging a mansion after £105million Euromillions win' BUILDER Steve Thompson treated his family to a lavish £4.5million estate after scooping the giant £105million EuroMillions lottery jackpot. Steve bagged the huge win back in 2019, making him richer than Harry Kane and Cheryl Cole. Neighbours near his imposing 7,000 sq ft farmhouse in Kent include Hollywood actors, rockstars and an IT tycoon. Steve wanted his kids to have their own rooms because they had to share in their previous three-bed council house. The dad-of-three and wife Lenka donated £200,000 in a bid to support their hometown, Selsey, in West Sussex.]The huge cricket fan also gave a whopping £100k to the local club for a new pavilion. Steve also invested a chunk of his win with the late Queen's bank, Coutts & Co. They reportedly put 'tens of millions' into a trust and could be set for another huge windfall in years to come. Steve said: "The kids have finally got their own bedrooms. It's a simple thing but it was all they ever wished for. 'I still haven't got over what happened to us and am honestly still trying to process it still. "It feels like yesterday we were in our old lives — it will take a little while to adjust." The phone book trick When it comes to picking numbers, it is better choose those that are totally random to increase your chances of being the only player with those numbers, Ben said. That's because humans are really good at picking numbers based on a pattern - even if you don't realise you're doing it. So it's better to find another way to do it. Of course, you can pick a lucky dip to do this for you. But there are more fun ways to pick random numbers. Ben suggests picking a random numbers in your contacts list stored in your phone. "Pick random phone numbers in your phone book, and look at the last two digits. "If those two digits are between 32 and 50, then keep it, otherwise pick another random phone number. 3 Make picking your numbers a game Make a game out of picking your numbers randomly - get the kids involved too, as it could be a fun family activity. Balls with numbers printed on them are drawn randomly from a machine to pick the Euromillions numbers. Why not create your own random lottery machine? "You could get a load of ping pong balls, number them, then pick them at random," he said. "If you're worried about the low numbers, don't include those." If you don't have ping pong balls hanging around the house, why not draw numbers from a hat? This won't increase your chances of winning - but it does increase the likelihood of picking random numbers and if you win, you could keep the entire pot. Never use ChatGPT Everyone is using ChatGPT these days - but should you use it to help pick your lottery numbers? You might think that using the handy AI tool is a good way of picking random numbers, but Ben warned against it. He said: "Chat GPT is terrible at maths," he said. "It would just pick random numbers that have been seen elsewhere on the internet. "It would probably pick last week's lucky numbers because it knows those were good - and it will try to please you in some ways."
The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
Maths expert reveals the top tips to help you win the ENTIRE £172million EuroMillions jackpot tonight
QUIT your job, travel round the world, buy a private island... what would you do with £172million? You'd better get planning, because statistics lottery expert Ben Parker has given us the lowdown on top tips to win tonight's monster Euromillions prize tonight. 3 3 Ben Parker is a senior lecturer in statistics at Brunel University of London. He's previously crunched the numbers on how you can use maths to win at the hit TV show The Traitors - but now he's given us the inside scoop on tips that many think could increase your chances of winning the entire top prize. Euromillions is one of the most popular lottery games, so you'll need all the help picking the winning numbers in the bi-weekly battle against other players. You pick five numbers from 1-50 and two lucky stars from 1-12, or you can choose a lucky dip - which is when the numbers are randomly selected for you. The jackpot tonight has rolled over to a huge £172 million. Winning the prize would make you instantly richer than the likes of Adele, Dua Lipa and Harry Kane. Of course, the best way to increase your chances of winning is to buy more tickets - but only do that if you can afford it. Make sure you gamble responsibly and only gamble with money you can afford to lose. Set a money limit before playing. If you need advice, visit or Never pick 'right' numbers Statistically, each number has an equal chance of being drawn. That means that there are no numbers which are more likely to help you win. The trick is to pick numbers that players are least likely to pick. You don't want other people picking your numbers, because if you are lucky enough to win in tonight's game, that will mean you have to split the prize with other players. "The odds of winning the Euromillions is 140million to one," said Ben. "It's really unlikely that you will win, but if you do, you'll want to make sure you're the only one getting the prize." One of the main ways that you can avoid picking other people's numbers is to pick numbers on the left of the grid, and avoid those on the right. That's because studies show that people naturally gravitate towards the right-hand side. That's why retailers often place their higher value items to the right of the store, which is something known in the industry as the "invariant right". Avoid "smaller" numbers A common tactic players use to choose their lottery numbers is to pick their "favourite" numbers, Ben said. These numbers tend to be lower numbers. He said: "People tend to pick birthdays, or pick 7 if they were born on the seventh month. "They might pick their children's birthday or their mum's birthday, or how old their dog is - people tend to pick these smaller numbers." If you want to increase your chances of winning the entire jackpot then you should avoid these smaller numbers. A good rule of thumb for what counts as a smaller number is one that falls outside birthdays dates, which are 1-31. So, aim for numbers between 32-50, as fewer people will be picking them. 'I went from living in a council house to bagging a mansion after £105million Euromillions win' BUILDER Steve Thompson treated his family to a lavish £4.5million estate after scooping the giant £105million EuroMillions lottery jackpot. Steve bagged the huge win back in 2019, making him richer than Harry Kane and Cheryl Cole. Neighbours near his imposing 7,000 sq ft farmhouse in Kent include Hollywood actors, rockstars and an IT tycoon. Steve wanted his kids to have their own rooms because they had to share in their previous three-bed council house. The dad-of-three and wife Lenka donated £200,000 in a bid to support their hometown, Selsey, in West Sussex.]The huge cricket fan also gave a whopping £100k to the local club for a new pavilion. Steve also invested a chunk of his win with the late Queen's bank, Coutts & Co. They reportedly put 'tens of millions' into a trust and could be set for another huge windfall in years to come. Steve said: "The kids have finally got their own bedrooms. It's a simple thing but it was all they ever wished for. 'I still haven't got over what happened to us and am honestly still trying to process it still. "It feels like yesterday we were in our old lives — it will take a little while to adjust." The phone book trick When it comes to picking numbers, it is better choose those that are totally random to increase your chances of being the only player with those numbers, Ben said. That's because humans are really good at picking numbers based on a pattern - even if you don't realise you're doing it. So it's better to find another way to do it. Of course, you can pick a lucky dip to do this for you. But there are more fun ways to pick random numbers. Ben suggests picking a random numbers in your contacts list stored in your phone. "Pick random phone numbers in your phone book, and look at the last two digits. "If those two digits are between 32 and 50, then keep it, otherwise pick another random phone number. Make picking your numbers a game Make a game out of picking your numbers randomly - get the kids involved too, as it could be a fun family activity. Balls with numbers printed on them are drawn randomly from a machine to pick the Euromillions numbers. Why not create your own random lottery machine? "You could get a load of ping pong balls, number them, then pick them at random," he said. "If you're worried about the low numbers, don't include those." If you don't have ping pong balls hanging around the house, why not draw numbers from a hat? This won't increase your chances of winning - but it does increase the likelihood of picking random numbers and if you win, you could keep the entire pot. Never use ChatGPT Everyone is using ChatGPT these days - but should you use it to help pick your lottery numbers? You might think that using the handy AI tool is a good way of picking random numbers, but Ben warned against it. He said: "Chat GPT is terrible at maths," he said. "It would just pick random numbers that have been seen elsewhere on the internet. "It would probably pick last week's lucky numbers because it knows those were good - and it will try to please you in some ways."
Time Out
an hour ago
- Time Out
The best family-friendly restaurant in London, according to the Michelin Guide
The only person harder to please than a little kid is a foodie – and rightly so. When you've eaten at thousands of restaurants and tried hundreds of different cuisines, you know what good food tastes like, and you don't really want to settle for anything less. That doesn't change when you have children either. If you're sick of mediocre pizza and burgers, but still fancy a meal out with the whole family, the Michelin Guide has you covered. You might not assume that the sort of fine dining that Michelin usually recognises is not particularly child friendly, but you'd be mistaken. There is a glorious middle ground – where children are welcome but the meals are meticulously crafted for excellence. These places may not have stars, but they're still brilliant at what they do. So where does Michelin recommend you take the whole family out for a treat in London? Their top pick is Agora in Borough Market. This Greek-inspired resto came out on top thanks to the fact it takes walk-ins all day long, so works for parents whose days must revolve around the whims of their little ones. Michelin added that its 'menu of skewers, flatbreads and more Greek treats is designed for sharing, ideal for a family with a range of appetites'. Although it didn't make it onto our list of the best family-friendly places to eat in the capital, we love Agora too. Time Out Food and Drink editor Leonie Cooper described the food as 'enough to entice even the only vaguely peckish' during her visit, so we reckon you'll be able to satisfy all sorts of different taste-buds – even picky ones – when you pop in. Next on Michelin's list was Apricity in Mayfair. This upmarket eatery offers a special 'Culinary Kids' meal; a five course tasting menu which aims to broaden your children's palates so that next time you go out, you won't even need the kids menu. It is, admittedly, a ridiculously posh offering, but it's worth it if you want to encourage adventurous eating in your little ones. Bancone, the Covent Garden pasta joint, came third on the list. It's not surprising – as Michelin puts it; 'If we were to put a bet on which food would be most likely to satisfy diners from ages 5 to 85, we'd go for a delicious bowl of pasta.' It's also one of the more affordable spots on the list, which is always a plus for a family. You can have a look at the full list of great family-friendly options from Michelin here. If after reading them all you decide to just get the babysitter after all, have a look at all the London restaurants with Michelin stars – including those which just gained a star – for a meal to remember. The best new London restaurant openings in August 2025.
