Eight people have won UK properties through competitions run by Tramway Path, which says it has given away more than £7.5m worth of prizes, including 18 UK properties. Winners include an NHS midwife who spent £3 and won three flats, and a mum who went from emergency accommodation to home ownership after spending £5.
From £3 to Three Flats
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. Her prize included two one-bedroom flats and a three-bedroom property. She later said the win gave her the freedom to travel and pursue missionary work overseas, and hopes to bring safer maternity care to Africa. She said: "I can finally follow my dreams."
Jade Pilgrim, a west London mum, had been in emergency council accommodation with her son after losing their rented home. A friend suggested she enter a property competition. Initially sceptical, she spent £5 and won £500,000 towards buying a property mortgage-free. She later secured a two-bedroom house with room to extend and add two further bedrooms. Her son was 11 at the time. She said: "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. I've been renting for a very long time and wasn't sure when I'd be able to get on the property ladder, I thought it would be many more years at least."
Unexpected Wins in Unlikely Moments
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: "I turned my phone back on and saw a bunch of missed calls, and when it rang again, I finally answered. My legs turned to complete jelly when I heard the news." He had been living with his parents and later used his winnings to buy a two-bedroom flat near them in Elephant and Castle, south London. His pub quiz team also won a £50 bar tab.
Hairdresser Angelika Wisniewska, a mum-of-two, spotted the competition on Facebook while travelling home from the dentist with her daughters. She entered and won a £500,000 grand prize, leading to her owning a five-bedroom house in Carlisle. She had previously described herself as "basically homeless" after splitting from her children's father, and said the win gave her the chance to move from a council property to a secure home.
From Renting to Mortgage-Free
Nathan Bayliss, 46, a dad-of-two, had owned a home before but spent years renting after relocating for work while property prices climbed. He spotted a Tramway Path competition on Facebook, entered, and won £500,000 towards a property. He later said: "I didn't think we'd ever own again."
Prescila Massia, a 22-year-old psychology graduate, won a £290,000 two-bedroom apartment in Grays, Essex, but planned to stay living with her parents and siblings in east London. She said she would boost her graduate income by renting the flat out for £1,200 a month. She had spent £70 on entries and admitted she never expected to win. She said: "It's been so overwhelming. Usually someone so young wouldn't win anything like this."
Life-Changing Prizes
Cynthia Kanyua, an NHS occupational therapist, had been living in social housing with her son after leaving a toxic relationship. She said owning a property had felt like a "pipe dream". A friend persuaded her to enter a competition, and she spent £10 on five tickets. She 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. The marriage ended badly and I was in a domestic shelter for a little bit."
George, a Londoner, won a two-bedroom apartment in Essex. 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. For some, it's the chance to finally own a home after years of renting or struggling to get a mortgage. For others, it means being able to clear debts, support their family or create an entirely new source of income. We've had winners from all walks of life, and every story is different, but the reaction when someone realises they've won never gets old. Looking back at our past winners really brings home the impact these prizes can have, and we're incredibly proud to have played a small part in so many life-changing moments."
Tramway has launched its next competition, which 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.
