Joe and Jess Thwaite won a record-breaking US$230 million with a lucky dip lottery ticket. From Gloucester, England, the couple now plans to repair their home, take their children to Hawaii, and enjoy “time to dream.”
Biggest Ever Lottery Haul
Married couple Joe and Jess Thwaite had long envisioned a countryside lifestyle with plenty of room for their children, three ponies, dogs, chickens, and geckos.
They finally moved into a house in Gloucester, but they faced a laundry list of repairs before it could become their dream home.
Little did they know, on the morning of May 11, their lives would drastically change for the better.
The Thwaites won the largest lottery prize in UK history, at £184,262,899.10 – the equivalent to more than US$230 million.
A “Surreal” Moment
It was a quiet morning when Mr. Thwaite let the dogs out at 5:15 am and checked his phone. He couldn’t believe what he saw:
I looked at the amount, and I put the phone down. And I picked the phone up again… I first thought it was in thousands, but then started counting the digits. Amazing, but also surreal.
joe thwaite, lottery winner
Completely stunned and unsure of what to do next, he decided to wait until his wife woke up to give her the news. “I couldn’t go back to sleep. I didn’t want to wake Jess up, so I just laid there for what seemed like forever. I spent some time searching for property with no budget limit, which was a novelty.”
When Jess finally awoke, Mr. Thwaite said, “I’ve got a secret. I’ve got something to tell you.” Not believing him, she responded by saying, “Don’t be stupid,” and went about her morning as usual.
Once they confirmed the win with the National Lottery operator, the reality hit home. Mrs. Thwaite didn’t know what else to do besides meet her mother in a park to relay the incredible revelation in person.
