15 June 2023 , 13:42
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A student thought she won £182million on EuroMillions because her direct debit for her ticket didn't leave her account.
Rachel Kennedy, then just 19, had a regular combination of numbers - 6, 12, 22, 29, 33, 6 and 11 - and played this sequence on EuroMillions for five weeks, using a direct debit.
All of these numbers were, to Rachel's joy, called at the National Lottery draw and "winning match" popped up on her online account in February 2021.
But Rachel was told by the National Lottery call handler that she and her then boyfriend Liam McCrohan hadn't bought a ticket because they didn't have enough money in their account for the direct debit to continue.
Rachel was a university student when she thought she had won big (rachelkennedyyx/Instagram)
Rachel had her usual numbers set up for EuroMillions - but her direct debit didn't complete (AFP via Getty Images)The ticket cost just £2.50, and would have changed Rachel and Liam's lives.
Woman was 'adamant' she would win top lottery prize - then pockets $200,000
Liam had already started spending the cash in his head - on a nice motor and swanky home.
Speaking at the time in February 2021, Rachel, from Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, said: "I called my boyfriend Liam and my mum into the room and they couldn't believe it either so I was like, 'oh my God I need to call them'.
"I called the number thinking that I had won £182million and they said 'yeah you've got the right numbers but you didn't have the funds in your account for the payment of the ticket so it didn't actually go through'.
"I was on top of the world when I thought I had won but when I found out I hadn’t, Liam was actually more upset than I was."
Rachel, who is now 21, was 'on top of the world' but her joy was shattered (rachelkennedyyx/Instagram)Speaking to The Sun, Liam said: "(Rachel) was quite relaxed about it but I had kind of spent it in my head already. I was absolutely heartbroken when we heard the man on the phone say we hadn’t actually bought the ticket.
"I was already picturing our dream house and the dream car, I think I was getting a bit carried away to be fair."
A spokesperson for Camelot said: "We're aware of Rachel's story and hope she gets in early to buy a ticket for the next big draw."