National Lottery jackpot winner left stunned after girlfriend’s surprising response to £7.5million prize
A 20-year-old tradesman who won £7.5million in the National Lottery has revealed how his girlfriend dismissed his life-changing win and went back to sleep.
James Clarkson, who works in property maintenance alongside his parents Stephen and Becky, scooped the £7,533,329 jackpot on January 4.
The young winner discovered his fortune whilst checking his phone on a snowy morning at his girlfriend’s house on January 5.
“At first, I couldn’t see anything, but then I scrolled down and realised I’d matched all six main numbers. I saw the prize amount—£7,533,329—and thought I was dreaming!” Clarkson said.
The winning ticket came from a previous stroke of luck, after Clarkson won £120 in the special Lotto Christmas Day draw.
Using part of his festive winnings, he purchased five lines for the New Year’s draw, including two Lucky Dip lines and three lines of randomly selected numbers.
It was one of his randomly chosen combinations that secured the multi-million pound jackpot.
After spotting the National Lottery message on his phone, Clarkson initially struggled to believe his fortune.
Excited to share the news, Clarkson attempted to wake his girlfriend, but received an unexpectedly dismissive response.
“She took a sleepy glance at my phone and said, ‘No, you haven’t won,’ then rolled over and went back to sleep!” he recalled.
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Still uncertain, he contacted his father who advised him to return home to verify the win.
The family, including his parents and 24-year-old brother Thomas, gathered to await the opening of the National Lottery Line at 9am.
After receiving confirmation from the lottery operator, celebrations quickly ensued.
“It was mad!” James said, describing how the family later assembled at his grandparents’ house for a roast beef dinner and champagne.
“News spread fast—we’re a close family!” he added.
Despite his newfound wealth, Clarkson was back at work the following Monday, tackling blocked drains in winter conditions.
“It was a bit grim, but that’s reality,” he said of returning to work.
The young millionaire insists he has no plans to give up his career, expressing his determination to qualify as a heating engineer.
“I’m not going to stop working. I’m too young, and I want to qualify as a heating engineer,” he explained.
His decision appears to have his father’s backing, who maintains that everyone needs purpose in their lives.
“My dad wouldn’t let me stop working – he says everyone needs a purpose in life,” Clarkson added.