Friday 13th turns out to be lucky day for Bridgend residents as EuroMillions syndicate wins £3.6m
The members of the West Is Best Syndicate, which is based in Bridgend, South Wales, will each get just over £212,000 following the win on Friday, 13 June.
The syndicate was formed by Rhian Owen, 44, with a handful of her work colleagues at Bridgend Council.
The group was named after the location where she worked – the West Hub.
Despite leaving that job, the syndicate continued as Ms Owen posted on Facebook looking for new members.
That is when the group blossomed into an eclectic mix of people, including old friends, family members, and even her former rugby coach, although many have never met.
'My alarm went off on the Saturday morning and I checked my emails and saw I'd won a prize on The National Lottery – but I didn't think much of it,' Ms Owen said.
"Then on the way to work, I stopped outside a shop as I had something in the back of my head nagging at me to c
heck my account.'
When I logged in, I saw it said 'claim your prize' – and when I scrolled down and saw all the numbers matched, I was in complete shock.
'I immediately video-called my sister, who's also in the syndicate, and we just couldn't stop screaming.
'I still went to work because I didn't know what else to do – but I ended up going home early as I was in a bit of a daze.'
The excited syndicate leader then revealed the life-changing news to the rest of the group via a Facebook group chat.
'I'm going to do up my house at last as it's been on my list for years,' Ms Owen said.
'I've also booked a family holiday in October and we're planning a bigger trip with all my sisters, brother and parents, it's just incredible knowing we can do this together now.'
Other members of the syndicate are equally excited about their plans.
Wayne Jenkins, Ms Owen's former rugby coach, is jetting off to Spain for a month and plans to gift money to his grown-up daughters.
Ex-colleague Nicola Butler found out about the win on the same day her husband left his job.
The money has now taken a lot of the stress away and they are now planning a much-needed family holiday.
Tracey Harry, Ms Owen's sister, is buying a campervan, helping out her three children, and looking into dental procedures.
Jayne Owen, Ms Owen's other sister, plays two lines and therefore walked away with double the winnings.
She has already bought a campervan and plans to get some dental work done, and said the win could not have come at a better time for her.
Jayne Davies, a close family friend, has battled with health problems and has used her winnings to fund a private knee replacement.
Liann Gregory, Ms Owen's lifelong best friend, is giving money to her three adult children, making some home improvements, and buying a caravan for the whole family.
Louise Fahey, another close friend, is taking a more measured approach as she is investing in a rental property for long-term financial security and will be helping out her children.
The syndicate's win was significantly boosted because the EuroMillions jackpot had reached its cap of £208 million, meaning additional prize money from ticket sales rolled down into the next prize tier.
The estimated prize for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star in a draw without a rolldown is £130,554.30.
In contrast, the syndicate's £3,613,997 win is roughly 27 times higher.
The West Is Best Syndicate celebrated with family and friends The Blaenogwr pub in Bridgend where, for many of the syndicate members, this was their first time meeting each other.
The West Is Best Syndicate plays 17 Lucky Dips on EuroMillions every Friday, with each member playing one line apart from Jayne Owen, who plays two.
Winnings from each draw were put towards tickets for the next draw as EuroMillions continued to roll over.
They matched five main numbers and one Lucky Star number in the EuroMillions draw on 13 June, 2025.
The winning numbers for the draw were 2, 28, 40, 43, 45 and the Lucky Star numbers were 3 and 7.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
20 hours ago
- Leader Live
Jersey choir crowned Young Choir of the World at Eisteddfod
The Musical Originals Singers took home the title at the 2025 Llangollen International Eisteddfod, earning the highest marks ever awarded to a children's choir in the competition's history. Their victory was described as 'completely astounding' by musical director Imogen Nicholas. The Musical Originals Singers earned the highest marks ever awarded to a children's choir (Image: Supplied) Ms Nicholas said: "One of the judges told us they are the highest marks ever awarded to a children's choir in that Eisteddfod, which is the crème de la crème of Eisteddfodau. "The choir deserve this success so much. "They have given up a lot for this; they wanted it, and they got it. "I am so incredibly proud of them." The award ceremony was delayed by a medical incident that led to the cancellation of the Uniting Nations concert on July 9. The presentation took place the following day and was led by Dr Rhys Davies, who sponsors the competition with his wife Anne in memory of their son, Owen. Dr Davies said: "The Young Choir of the World prize is given in memory of our son, Owen Davies. "It means so much to see the Musical Originals Singers, with their wonderful energy and talent, receive this award. "Owen's name lives on through the music, joy, and cultural spirit that this prize represents, and I know he would be immensely proud of this incredible choir." Ms Nicholas revealed the practical challenges of transporting their success home. She said: "The trophy is so heavy we couldn't get it on the flight back." READ MORE: New leaseholders step into bold new chapter after 16-months managing vibrant pub Putting on the 'greatest show' for children's hospice fundraiser She added that it will eventually be placed on public display at a museum in Jersey. The Eisteddfod team praised the choir's achievement, calling it a testament to the event's tradition of celebrating musical excellence and cultural exchange. The prize fund for the 2026 competition is now open, with all donations going directly to competitors. More information can be found at
Metro
a day ago
- Metro
5 cultural habits that stop Brits from getting rich
Link is copied Comments Real talk: Everyone dreams about being rich. Whether it's through winning the lottery, climbing up the career ladder, or becoming famous, it's a known fact that having heaps of cash makes life easier. However, we've probably got more chance of being mawled by a bear than winning the Euromillions, so if we want to grow our net worth, we'll have to find a different route (Picture: Getty Images) Enter Matthew Sheeran, a money-saving expert at Money Wellness. While there's no 'get quick rich scheme,' he does explain that us Brits have plenty of cultural habits that can stunt our money growth. So, if you do imagine yourself living the life of luxury, but don't quite know what you're doing wrong in terms of saving and building your wealth, take note (Picture: Getty Images) There's huge social pressure in the UK, and elsewhere in the world, to look like you're doing well, whether that's the latest phone, a new car on finance, or pricey holidays. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford fancy lifestyles all the time. 'Many people end up living beyond their means just to keep up appearances, and it often leads to long-term debt,' Sheeran explains. The reality is, your family and real friends aren't going to judge you if you say you can't afford something. Nor are they going to love you any less. And, they're certainly not going to want you to get into financial troubles for their sake. Be honest, and be sensible (Picture: Getty Images) 'A lot of people avoid looking too closely at their finances,' says Sheeran. What he means by this is that people spend without really knowing what they can afford. Without a clear plan or monetary strategy, money disappears fast, especially with rising living costs. To avoid this, create a simple budget. 'Start by writing down all your income, like wages, benefits, or any other money coming in. Then list your essential expenses, such as rent, bills, food, and travel,' the expert recommends. Once you know what's left over, you can set limits for takeaways, clothes, or entertainment (Picture: Getty Images) We've all been there: Ordering that new dress on Klarna or booking a couple of holidays on finance to stretch the payments out. Now, we're not saying that you're not allowed to have fun. It's more about avoiding using credit as income you don't have. Sheeran explains: 'Using credit cards or buy now, pay later for everyday spending is now the norm, especially when wages don't stretch far. But treating credit as spare money leads to a cycle of debt that's hard to break and costly over time.' So take a second. Do you really need that new T-shirt in four different colours? Or are you just ordering them because you don't have to pay for it straight away? (Picture: Getty Images) 'Money is still a taboo subject in the UK,' Sheeran reiterates. People don't talk about debt, bills, or financial worries, even with close friends or family. For some reason, our pride masquerading as silence stops us from asking for help or learning better habits. The reality? There's no harm in asking for financial advice. If anything, we encourage it. From learning budgeting skills to how to invest, it's something that should be instilled in us from an early age. That way, we can make better monetary decisions earlier, rather than having to learn from mistakes (Picture: Getty Images) Whether it's pensions, savings, or getting insurance, people often delay big financial decisions assuming they'll deal with it later, explains Sheeran. But small steps taken early can make a huge difference to your financial wellness. Whereas waiting usually ends up costing more. Examples of this include getting to grips with your pension. Can you afford to put more money away each month for retirement? If so, do it. Similarly, if you have a mortgage, try and make higher payments each month to shave off some years. Future you will thank you! (Picture: Getty Images) Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
EuroMillions results and numbers: National Lottery draw tonight, July 22
THE draw for tonight's National Lottery EuroMillions (July 22, 2025) has taken place, with life-changing cash prizes at stake. Check the results to see if you have just won a fortune and bagged enough to start that jet-set lifestyle you always dreamed of. Every EuroMillions ticket also bags you an automatic entry into the UK Millionaire Maker, which guarantees at least one player will pocket £1million in every draw. You can find out if you're a winner by checking your ticket against tonight's numbers below. Tonight's National Lottery EuroMillions winning numbers are: 08, 15, 26, 33, 41 and the Lucky Stars are: 09, 10. The UK Millionaire Maker Selection winner is: ZCJF97553 Tonight's National Lottery Thunderball winning numbers are: 03, 05, 18, 26, 31 and the Thunderball is 12. TOP 5 BIGGEST LOTTERY WINS IN THE WORLD £1.308 billion (Powerball) on January 13 2016 in the US, for which three winning tickets were sold, remains history's biggest lottery prize £1.267 billion (Mega Million) a winner from South Carolina took their time to come forward to claim their prize in March 2019 not long before the April deadline £633.76 million (Powerball draw) from a winner from Wisconsin £625.76 million (Powerball) Mavis L. Wanczyk of Chicopee, Massachusetts claimed the jackpot in August 2017 £575.53 million (Powerball) A lucky pair of winners scooped the jackpot in Iowa and New York in October 2018 The first EuroMillions draw took place on February 7, 2004, by three organisations: France's Française des Jeux, Loterías y Apuestas del Estado in Spain and the Camelot in the UK. One of the UK's biggest prizes was up for grabs on December, 4, 2020 with a whopping £175million EuroMillions jackpot, which would make a winner richer than Adele. Another previous UK winner who's whole life was altered with their jackpot was a player who wanted to remain anonymous on October 8, 2019. They walked off with a cool £170,221,000. Colin and Chris Weir, from Largs in Scotland, netted a huge £161,653,000 in the July 12, 2011. Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Haverhill, Suffolk, picked up £148,656,000 after they played the draw on August, 10, 2012, while Jane Park became Britain's youngest lottery winner when she scooped up £1 million in 2013. The odds of winning any EuroMillions prize are 1 in 13. Could tonight's jackpot of £106million see you handing in your notice and swapping the daily commute for slurping champagne on a super yacht or lying back on a private beach in the Bahamas? 2
