After finishing his usual five-mile walk home from work, a man in Dundee, Scotland, was stunned to discover that his nightly routine had ended with a life-changing surprise.
Mark Crawford, 49, arrived home to his wife of nearly 12 years, Clair, to learn that his £15 entry in the Omaze Monthly Millionaire Draw had turned into a £1 million (about $1.3 million) jackpot.
“It was just a normal Friday night. I’d finished work, done my usual walk home, and was ready for dinner — the last thing I was expecting was to open the door and find out we’d become millionaires,” Mark told lottery officials, per the Daily Mail. “My wife just kept saying, ‘I can’t think straight — I’ve no words.’ She was completely shell-shocked. We both were.”
With their tax-free winnings, the couple already has a few big dreams in mind. Mark shared that he and Clair, 57, have “always wanted to do more traveling,” listing destinations like the Scottish Highlands, Cornwall, and Norway among their top picks.
“We have a rusty old camper van that keeps breaking down, so first on the list is a shiny new camper van,” Mark said. “We don’t even have passports at the moment, so before we buy the new camper, we’d better get those sorted.”
He added, “Our ultimate dream is to visit Japan. It’s always been on the list — and now, as Clair said, we could actually afford the travel insurance. It’s just lifted such a weight. We can pay off our overdraft and stop worrying about money every month. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
The couple, who met in London before settling in Mark’s hometown of Dundee in 2011, had been considering downsizing to cut costs before their unexpected windfall.
“Now we can start thinking about a new start, maybe even move somewhere that feels fresh,” Mark said, per the Daily Mail. “When we left London all those years ago, we always thought we’d never be able to get back there as it’s just so expensive, but now we can. Our daughter is there, and the idea of being closer to her is so exciting.”
He added that Clair, a social worker, is especially happy about what the win means for others. “Clair’s spent her career helping others, and she said the best thing about winning is we’ll be able to help other people close to us.”
Alongside changing one family’s future each month, Omaze continues to raise money for charities across the U.K.
“Everyone at Omaze is thrilled to be celebrating another Monthly Millionaire — huge congratulations to Mark and Clair for becoming our latest £1 million winners! We’re so happy for them and their family,” said James Oakes, president of Omaze, in a statement, per the Daily Mail.
“Omaze offers people the chance to win incredible prizes while also introducing charities to vast new audiences they wouldn’t normally reach — it’s a real win-win for entrants and for our charity partners,” Oakes added.
