Britain's biggest lottery winner has claimed a £113m EuroMillions jackpot but has chosen to remain anonymous, Camelot confirmed today. The National Lottery operator said the winner's decision to not go public meant it could not reveal where the ticket was bought or whether the winner was an individual or a syndicate.
“We’re delighted that the ticketholder has now come forward to claim this life-changing prize,” said a spokeswoman. “As with all major jackpot winners, they will receive independent financial and legal advice as well as ongoing personal support.” The spokeswoman declined to comment on why it took 12 days for the winner to come forward, a delay costing the winner an estimated £8,500 a day in lost interest.
Officials verified the winning ticket and handed over a cheque for £113,019,926. If an individual, the winner becomes the 589th wealthiest person in Britain, surpassing Rod Stewart and David Bowie, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2010. The prize could fund a £12m Ferrari 250 GTO, a week in a private villa on Mustique for £85,000, or even two Boeing 767s at £56m each.
The previous largest UK lottery win was £84.4m on EuroMillions in May, also anonymous. More than 1,000 people made false claims, including a Coventry pensioner who initially thought she had the winning ticket but later apologised to her husband for accusing him of losing it. “I’m secretly glad it isn’t us,” she said. “I don’t think I’d ever have had a moment’s peace again.”
The Press Complaints Commission reminded news organisations to respect the winner’s anonymity, noting that the size of the win alone is not a valid reason to identify them. The winner of the May jackpot was never identified, which may give the latest winner confidence their haul will remain secret.
