Latest news with #RhianOwen
Metro
09-07-2025
- Business
- Metro
Woman sets up National Lottery syndicate - now they've won £3,600,000
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Friday the 13th can be an unlucky date for some but for a group of 16 strangers it turned out to be anything but. The 'West Is Best' syndicate group from Bridgend, south Wales, bagged a whopping £3,613,997 on the EuroMillions – the equivalent to £212,000 each. The syndicate was founded by Rhian Owen, 44, while she worked with colleagues at Bridgend Council. After she left that job she continued the syndicate and posted on Facebook looking for new members. This is when it blossomed into an eclectic mix of people, including old friends, family members, and even her former rugby coach. Rhian is still at the heart of it all but most of the group have never even met. She found out about the news on the Saturday morning and said: 'My alarm went off and I checked my emails and saw I'd won a prize on The National Lottery – but I didn't think much of it. '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 check 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.' Rhian then delivered the life-changing news to the rest of the syndicate via the Facebook group. She knows already what she is going to do with the winnings and said: 'I'm going to do up my house at last – it's been on my list for years! '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.' Andy Carter, Senior Winners Advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: 'Huge congratulations to the West Is Best Syndicate! 'This win is not just a celebration of good fortune, but also a brilliant example of how The National Lottery brings people together – in this case, from all walks of life and corners of Rhian's world. 'I hope they all enjoy their winnings and make unforgettable memories with their friends and families.' More Trending A lucky EuroMillions winner from County Cork managed to bag £208,000,000 in the largest draw ever. The EuroMillions jackpot had been sat at £208million for two weeks after it reached its maximum size earlier in June. The win was Ireland's 18th winner of the EuroMillions jackpot. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'I thought I adopted a tiny cockapoo – but he just won't stop growing' MORE: Man banned from every pub is banned again for biting another bouncer MORE: Elderly woman dies after waiting 14 hours for ambulance following fall
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Friday the 13th turns out to be lucky day as EuroMillions syndicate shares £3.6m
Friday the 13th turned out to be a lucky day for a band of 16 almost-strangers as they bagged a life-changing £3.6 million on EuroMillions. 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 June 13. 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 check 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 and received a steady stream of incredible and colourful reactions. '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 to enjoy. 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 even more remarkable 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 – significantly boosting their prize. 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 came together for a big celebration at a local Bridgend pub, The Blaenogwr, where they were joined by family and friends. 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 June 13 2025. The winning numbers for the draw were 2, 28, 40, 43, 45 and the Lucky Star numbers were 3 and 7.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Friday the 13th turns out to be lucky day as EuroMillions syndicate shares £3.6m
Friday the 13th turned out to be a lucky day for a band of 16 almost-strangers as they bagged a life-changing £3.6 million on EuroMillions. 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 June 13. 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 check 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 and received a steady stream of incredible and colourful reactions. '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 to enjoy. 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 even more remarkable 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 – significantly boosting their prize. 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 came together for a big celebration at a local Bridgend pub, The Blaenogwr, where they were joined by family and friends. 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 June 13 2025. The winning numbers for the draw were 2, 28, 40, 43, 45 and the Lucky Star numbers were 3 and 7.
Wales Online
09-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
National Lottery pays out £3.6m to group of Welsh strangers who found out with a text that said 'oh my f*****g god'
National Lottery pays out £3.6m to group of Welsh strangers who found out with a text that said 'oh my f*****g god' Ten years after forming a lottery syndicate and it has finally paid off Lottery syndicate, 'West Is Best Syndicate' from Bridgend have won an incredible £3.6 million at the EuroMillions (Image: National Lottery ) A Welsh lottery syndicate made up of almost strangers, from previous jobs and hobbies and the odd family member, have scooped a staggering £3.6 million on EuroMillions, transforming the lives of 16 people overnight. Against all odds, Friday 13th (June) proved lucky for the Bridgend-based group known as the 'West Is Best Syndicate', with each member receiving just over £212,000 from their £3,613,997 jackpot. Among them is Rhian Owen, 44, a train conductor from Ogmore Vale, who has been at the heart of the winning syndicate since it began a decade ago. It all started when she worked at Bridgend Council's West Hub - where the group got its name. "I just started doing it among a small group of friends in work" she explained. "Then it grew and got bigger." When she changed jobs a few years later, the numbers dropped off but in 2022, with a big jackpot looming, she decided to give it another go. She posted a status on Facebook asking if anyone fancied joining her syndicate and the responses poured in. "There's mostly ex-colleagues from the council, but my two sisters joined, a lady I worked with 20 years ago joined, and my former rugby coach also joined. It's a bit of a mixed bag!" The band of almost-strangers from Bridgend came together to celebrate their incredible win (Image: National Lottery ) Article continues below The group now has sixteen members, though seventeen shares as Rhian's sister plays two lines, giving her double the winnings. Every Friday, Rhian logs into her lottery account, buys seventeen Lucky Dip lines, takes screenshots of the tickets, and shares them in a Facebook Messenger group with the syndicate. The next day, she checks the results and shares any wins. Over the years, they'd had a steady stream of small prizes. "Loads of £2.80s," Rhian laughs. "I think the most we won one week was about £30 — and that was spread across different lines." That changed dramatically one early Saturday morning. Rhian's alarm went off around 5am for her shift. Still half-asleep, she glanced at her phone and noticed an email from the National Lottery. "It just said 'Rhian, you've won a prize,' which is normal. I get those all the time for a couple of quid." However, something must have felt different as Rhian felt the urge to check her phone again on her way to work. She decided to pull up outside of a shop to read the email. "Normally there's a blue line that says 'You've won £2.80' or something. But this time it said, 'Claim your prize.' At first, I thought it was just the new format. I'd updated the app the night before." However, when she clicked through, she was greeted by a sight that most people can only dream of; five numbers and the bonus ball lit up. "It was like trying to look at my phone underwater. I could see there were a lot of numbers, I knew it was big… but I couldn't take it in." The winning numbers for the draw were 2, 28, 40, 43, 45 and the Lucky Star numbers were 3 and 7. The syndicate's win was even more remarkable because the EuroMillions jackpot had reached its cap of £208M, meaning additional prize money from ticket sales rolled down into the next prize tier - significantly boosting their prize. The estimated prize for matching five main numbers and one Lucky Star in a draw without a roll down is £130,554.30. In contrast, the syndicate's £3.6M win is roughly 27 times higher. Rhian quickly sent a screenshot to her sister and called her. "Luckily she was awake, she'd checked her own tickets and seen nothing. But she'd also looked at the prize breakdown and knew there were UK winners and a pot of £3.6 million. I face called her straight away and said, 'Jane! We've won the lottery!' She didn't even say anything... she just put the phone down on me!" She rang back moments later to confirm it: £3.6 million, split between seventeen shares. "It worked out at around £212,000 each. It's lifechanging." Stay informed on Bridgend news by signing up to our newsletter here Despite the shock, Rhian actually went into work the morning she found out, though she only made it through half the shift. "I was all over the shop. There was no way I could wave in trains the way I was feeling! I phoned my manager and explained - he didn't believe me! He just said, 'No way!'" Wrapped up in a flurry of emotions, Rhian did manage to message the group chat to share the news and the reactions came flooding in. "Some of them I hadn't seen in years. People were saying, 'This couldn't have come at a better time.' Everybody's had some sort of hardship or gone through really bad times, and it's just amazing, everyone is so deserving of it." The group are made up of almost strangers, from previous jobs and hobbies (Image: National Lottery ) A single parent to three children - aged 15, 12, and five - Rhian knows how much this moment means. "I actually had my first holiday in eleven years a week after we won. It was an all-inclusive holiday, and I was going to borrow spending money off my sister because I hadn't managed to save it. But I didn't need to!" She's already started thinking about what comes next. "I've been to look at a new car because I need one. I need a new kitchen, new bathroom… so I'm going to make some home improvements. I'm also planning on taking the kids away again in October. And the family's got a big holiday planned for next year. It's just lush!" Rhian shared that her children are still trying to wrap their heads around the win and the fact that this has all become possible. "After I found out, I couldn't help but text my oldest while I was in work. I said, 'Can you keep a secret?'' Then I told him we'd won. He just replied, 'Ha ha very funny, what time you home, I'm starving.' I sent him a screenshot of the line and he was like, 'How did you do that?' He still didn't believe me!" After ten years of playing, the win came as a massive shock to members of the Welsh syndicate (Image: National Lottery ) Her daughter, out shopping with friends at the time, had a much different reaction. "I told her not to tell anyone, and she just said, 'Sorry, I told everyone, I couldn't help it.'" Yet, what came as a massive shock for her children, was something that Rhian had always believed in. "A few months ago I was in work with a colleague. He was talking about his wife playing the lottery and how much she spends on it. I told him I was guilty of the same. He asked, 'Why do you do it?' and I just said, 'Because I'm going to win.' He laughed. But that Saturday morning when he saw me, he just said, 'Oh my god — you were right!'" Maybe part of that belief came from the fact that she'd already seen it happen close to home. "My parents won the postcode lottery last September - £83,333," she said. "Now that people in our village have heard about myself and my two sisters winning in the syndicate, people are rubbing my father's arm hoping to get some of the family luck!" Five of the syndicate members met up in Bridgend days after the win for food and to process it together. "People weren't sure what to do with the money - there were so many things going round in their heads. It's really hard to digest. And while I've been really happy, it's been an emotional rollercoaster as well." Members of the syndicate have big plans for their winnings (Image: National Lottery ) There were tears, too. "One of the ladies, who I hadn't seen for about six years, told me her son had been diagnosed with cancer. She'd had breast cancer. Her husband nearly died from cancer of the eyes. People were just sharing their stories - I was crying. I was just so pleased this happened for them. For us." Wayne Jenkins, Rhian's former rugby coach, is heading to Spain for a month and plans to share his winnings with his grown-up daughters. Meanwhile, Nicola Butler, a former colleague, learned of the win the same day her husband left his job - now, the financial boost has eased their stress, and a long-overdue family holiday is in the works. Rhian's sisters are also making the most of their good fortune. Tracey Harry is buying a campervan, helping her three children, and exploring dental treatment options. Jayne Owen, who played two lines and received double the share, has already purchased a campervan and is also planning dental work. "The win couldn't have come at a better time," she said. The West Is Best syndicate came together for a big celebration at a local Bridgend pub, The Blaenogwr, where they were joined by family and friends - for many of the syndicate members this was their first time meeting each other (Image: National Lottery ) Jayne Davies, a close family friend who has battled ongoing health issues, used her share to fund a private knee replacement. Meanwhile, Rhian's lifelong best friend, Liann Gregory, is treating her family by gifting money to her three adult children, making home improvements, and buying a caravan for everyone to enjoy. Taking a more strategic route, Louise Fahey - another close friend- is investing in a rental property to secure long-term financial stability while also supporting her children. Rhian doesn't pretend there's a secret to the group's success. "It was just pure luck. You click that Lucky Dip button and the machine generates the numbers. And this was the EuroMillions - the odds are massive. People all over Europe play it." Article continues below But deep down, she always knew: "You've just got to manifest it."
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Delighted Facebook messages show moment lottery syndicate won £3.6m jackpot
Friday 13th turned out to be the luckiest day ever for a band of 16 almost-strangers from Bridgend, as they bagged a life-changing £3,613,997 on EuroMillions Facebook messages of sheer joy show the incredible moment a syndicate found out they had scooped £3.6m on the Euromillions - on Friday the 13th. The 'West Is Best Syndicate' received an incredible sum of just over £212,00 each in the draw and most of the members had not even met before. Rhian Owen, 44, formed the syndicate with a handful of her work colleagues at Bridgend Council where she worked in the West Hub - where the syndicate got its name. Continuing the syndicate once she left the job, she posted on Facebook looking for new member - and that's when the group blossomed into an eclectic mix of people, including old friends, family members, and even her former rugby coach. While Rhian remained at its heart, many of the group have never met. Rhian discovered the win early on Saturday morning. 'My alarm went off and I checked my emails and saw I'd won a prize on The National Lottery - but I didn't think much of it,' she explained. 'Then on the way to work, I stopped outside a shop as I had somethin in the back of my head nagging at me to check 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 syndicate via a Facebook group chat and received a steady stream of incredible and colourful reactions. Rhian already knows how she'll be using her winnings: 'I'm going to do up my house at last - it's been on my list for years. 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, Rhian's former rugby coach, is jetting off to Spain for a month and plans to gift money to his grown-up daughters. Nicola Butler, an ex-colleague, 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, Rhian's sister, is buying a campervan, helping out her three children, and looking into dental procedures. Jayne Owen, Rhian's other sister, plays two lines and therefore walked away with double the winnings. She's already bought a campervan and plans to get some dental work done. She said that the win couldn't 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, Rhian's lifelong best friend, is giving money to her three adult children, making some home improvements, and buying a caravan for the whole family to enjoy. Louise Fahey, another of Rhian's close friends, is taking a more measured approach - she's investing in a rental property for long-term financial security and will be helping out her children. The West Is Best syndicate came together for a big celebration at a local Bridgend pub, The Blaenogwr, where they were joined by family and friends. For many of the syndicate members this was their first time meeting each other. Andy Carter, Senior Winners Advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, exclaimed, 'Huge congratulations to the West Is Best Syndicate! This win is not just a celebration of good fortune, but also a brilliant example of how The National Lottery brings people together - in this case, from all walks of life and corners of Rhian's world. I hope they all enjoy their winnings and make unforgettable memories with their friends and families.'
