Son finds mum's winning EuroMillions ticket three days after her tragic death

Daily Mirror

24-04-2025

Liam Carter, 34, was sorting through his late mother Anne's belongings after she passed away at the age of 67, and was staggered to find a winning lottery ticket
A man whose mum sadly passed away has revealed how he found her winning lottery ticket just days later - and it was worth a staggering £18,000.
While sorting through his mother Anne's possessions, Liam Carter from Aberdeen found a tucked-away envelope in a kitchen drawer containing a EuroMillions ticket dated for the draw on April 18 - two days after she passed away at the age of 67. Liam, 34, recalled discovering a note written by his mum on the ticket, with the words "don't forget" - a poignant message he now cherishes as her last gift to him.
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He said: "It was in her handwriting - she'd written 'Sat draw – don't forget!' on the front. I nearly ignored it, but something told me to check. I scanned it using the National Lottery app, and it said it was a winning ticket - but I'd have to call the lottery line."
Upon calling the lottery line that Saturday, Liam, originally hailing from Hampshire, was stunned to learn the true value of the ticket. The numbers 20, 27, 35, 39, and 48 were a near-perfect match, missing only the Lucky Stars numbers 03 and 08, AberdeenLive reports.
Liam told Playcasino.com: "When they told me it was worth £18,043, I just froze. I must've gone quiet on the phone. It didn't feel real. She never won anything big in her life - and now this."
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Liam revealed his mum would play the lottery every week and always stored her tickets in a special drawer in the kitchen. "She always said if she ever won, the money would be for me," he said. "And even though she never knew about this win, it really felt like something she left behind for me. Like one final gift."
With plans to use the winnings for a flat deposit - a goal his mum had always supported - Liam is embracing this turn of good fortune.
A spokesperson from Playcasino.com said: "Liam's story shows that the lottery isn't just about money - it's about meaning. In this case, a forgotten ticket became something powerful and emotional. It's a reminder that even the smallest moments can carry the biggest impact."
This comes after a EuroMillions winner who bagged a whopping £148millio n reportedly ditched his huge mansion and moved in with his 80-year-old mum. Former postman Adrian Bayford, 54, won the staggering jackpot along with his then-wife Gillian in 2012, but is now giving up the luxury seven-bed country home he shares with his fiancée Tracey Biles.
The couple will move to his 80-year-old mum's modest four-bed home he purchased for his parents. A friend said: "He thinks he can just downsize and have a simple life and go back to how things used to be before he was mega rich.
"The house he is leaving is one he bought with his ex Gillian and where he split from his other fiancées so it's full of bad memories for him."