Retired Birmingham teacher Celeste Coles is already dreaming of a third lottery win after scooping £3,665,079.10 on a last-minute £2 EuroMillions lucky dip. The draw took place on July 12, 2022, and Celeste, who has also won £2,500 on the National Lottery in the mid-nineties, says she still plays regularly and would donate any future winnings to charity and her family.
Last-Minute Decision Turns Into £3.6m Jackpot
Celeste, a former home economics teacher at schools across Birmingham and Solihull, received a virtual invitation to join a syndicate ahead of the multi-million pound EuroMillions draw. However, she decided to skip the offer and go for the jackpot alone. She told BirminghamLive: "I thought, 'I'm not going to join a syndicate, I want to win it all for myself', so I bought one online."
Within hours, the £2 lucky dip matched five main numbers and one Lucky Star, turning into £3,665,079.10. Celeste, who was born in Barbados, said she only had a 'vague memory' of the winning numbers but remembered checking the draw. "Excuse the pun, but I'm on the ball. I always physically write my numbers down on paper so when the numbers come up, I don't have to go into the app," she said.
Disbelief and a Glass of Water
Celeste said she was in 'disbelief' when she realised how much she'd won, but instead of cracking open the champagne, she opted for a glass of water. "Some family did say 'didn't you grab a glass of wine?' but it was the quickest and easiest thing I could grab," she explained.
The winner's claim line did not open until 8am the next day, and despite being unable to get much sleep, Celeste waited until 8.30am to call as she 'didn't want to seem too keen'. Security measures then 'kicked in' as her ticket and identity were verified, with the money landing in her account within 10 days.
Managing the Windfall and First Splurges
Celeste described the aftermath as intense. "You have to deal with things you would never ordinarily deal with," she said. "You've obviously got to make sure the money is secure, and you have to talk to financial advisors, lawyers, accountants, the HMRC. It's quite intense, you can't just leave it all in a current account."
Her first splurge was at the Apple Store in Birmingham, where she purchased an iPhone 13 mini, followed by lunch with her daughter at The Botanist. She has since bought an apartment in Spain and moved to a larger property in Kings Norton. Her most recent purchase was a new car, after her previous motor started 'playing up', while she is also looking forward to an upcoming trip to the Rocky Mountains.
Sharing Wealth and Eyeing a Third Win
Celeste said the best part about her win was being able to share her wealth with her family, giving her daughters financial security. Although she went public with her win, she said she 'hasn't had anyone begging for money' - but they have told her she 'doesn't look like a lottery winner'. "People ask me why I'm still shopping in the charity shop. Why not? You don't need to be frivolous with it," she said.
Celeste is one of the 234 Brummies who have become millionaires through The National Lottery since 1994. Birmingham clinched the top spot when it came to the 'luckiest places in the UK', with 27 of those winning in the last three years. However, Celeste warned: "It's not going to happen automatically, as they say, you have to be in it to win it. You have to be positive and think 'I am going to win'."
Celeste hasn't ruled out a third big win either, despite not needing 'any more money'. She said she still plays regularly, adding: "If I won the lottery again, I would be so happy to just donate it to charities and my family."
