Tramway Path, a competition company, says it has now given away more than £7.5m worth of prizes, including 18 UK properties. Eight of its winners saw their lives transformed by a single entry, from an NHS midwife who won three homes to a mum who moved from emergency accommodation to home ownership.
NHS Midwife Wins Three Properties for £3
Sade Oluwaleimu, an NHS midwife and former A&E nurse from London, spent £3 and won three renovated flats in Bristol worth a combined £500,000. The prize included two one-bedroom flats and a three-bedroom property.
Sade later said the win gave her the freedom to travel and pursue missionary work overseas. She hopes to bring safer maternity care to Africa, and said "I can finally follow my dreams".
From Emergency Housing to Homeownership
Jade Pilgrim found herself in emergency council accommodation with her son after losing the home they were renting. A friend suggested she enter a property competition. Initially sceptical, she spent £5 and went on to win £500,000 towards buying a property mortgage-free.
The west London mum later secured a two-bedroom house, with room to extend and add two further bedrooms. She said the win gave her the security she had dreamed of for her son, who was 11 at the time. "It has always been my goal to give my son his own home, but I didn't think I'd be able to do it so soon," she said.
Pub Quiz Discovery and Other Winners
James Manley, then 23, discovered he had won a £450,000 property prize during a pub quiz with colleagues. He had switched off his phone so nobody could accuse his team of cheating and only saw the missed calls at half-time. He said: "My legs turned to complete jelly when I heard the news." He later used his winnings to buy a two-bedroom flat near his parents in Elephant and Castle, south London.
Hairdresser Angelika Wisniewska spotted a competition on Facebook while travelling home from the dentist with her daughters. She won a £500,000 grand prize, leading to a five-bedroom house in Carlisle. She had previously described herself as "basically homeless" after splitting from her kids' dad.
Nathan Bayliss, 46, had owned a home before but spent years renting after relocating for work. He entered a Tramway Path competition on Facebook and won £500,000 towards a property. Nathan later said: "I didn't think we'd ever own again."
Graduate and Single Mum Among Winners
Prescila Massia, a 22-year-old psychology graduate, won a £290,000 two-bedroom apartment in Grays, Essex, after spending £70 on entries. She planned to stay living with her parents and siblings in east London and rent the flat out for £1,200 a month. "It's been so overwhelming," she said.
NHS occupational therapist Cynthia Kanyua had been living in social housing with her son after leaving a toxic relationship. She spent £10 on five tickets and won a three-bedroom apartment in Surrey worth around £425,000. She said: "When my marriage ended in 2016, I just left with my bags."
George, a Londoner, won a two-bedroom apartment in Essex after his mortgage was declined. He said: "The day I bought my Tramway Path ticket, I got my mortgage declined, now because of Tramway Path I am mortgage-free."
Daniel Twenefour from Tramway Path said: "One of the best parts of what we do is seeing just how differently each winner's life changes." Tramway's next competition closes on November 30 and features a five-bedroom property, worth £650,000, on the borders of Mitcham and Morden, offering off-street parking, 2.5 bathrooms and underfloor heating.
