A Cardiff family syndicate has won £10,000 every month for the next 30 years through the National Lottery's Set for Life game, enabling them to pay off mortgages, fund university education, and take a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Amanda Hampton, 51, her brother Gareth, 46, close family friend Louise, 46, and Amanda's ex-husband, Matthew, 55, had been playing Set for Life since it launched in 2019. Their big win came in 2025, less than a year after Amanda's sister Michelle died. The night before Amanda learned of the win, she had been struggling with grief.
Sign from Michelle
Amanda said: "Lying in bed that night I remember speaking to her in my head and saying: 'I just need a sign that you're okay.'"
When Amanda woke up, she had an email from the National Lottery. "I'd had those emails before and usually it was for a £5 win so I didn't think much of it," she said. Later that morning, while walking to Greggs for breakfast and coffee before work, she opened the National Lottery app to check.
"I nearly fell over," she said. "I immediately called Matthew at 6am. He wasn't very happy I'd woken him up until I sent him the screenshot. Then he couldn't believe it either." Once phone lines opened, Amanda called to confirm the win was real.
Life-changing impact
"Everyone from work was in the car when I got the confirmation. When they told me it was real we all just screamed."
Before the win, Amanda had been working between 60 and 70 hours a week to cover her outgoings. Now Gareth has paid off his mortgage, Amanda and Louise have transformed their homes and gardens, Matthew has bought a new car, and Louise enjoys regular holidays to Spain. Amanda and Matthew's son has started university in Scotland without needing a student loan, and Amanda is supporting Michelle's son as he prepares to go to Australia next month.
Honouring Michelle's memory
"We know Michelle would be thrilled that the family is secure and that we're looking after the children," Amanda said.
Before Michelle died, she, Amanda, and Louise would celebrate birthdays and special occasions at the Celtic Manor. The group had a running joke that if they ever won, they would book the hotel's presidential suite. They kept that promise, opening champagne and arranging their stay to coincide with the anniversary of Michelle's death. On the first night, close friends met to remember her; the following evening, the family raised a glass to Michelle.
Amanda said: "Whenever we go to Celtic Manor I always take a photo of my sister with me. It makes me feel like she's still part of the celebrations. Michelle should have been here enjoying all of this with us. We miss her every day. Everything we do we think about whether she'd be smiling about it."
