A Porsche and Range Rover top shopping list for £5 million West Lothian Lotto win couple

Champagne corks were popping in West Lothian today after it emerged a local couple had scooped a life-changing £5,162,779 Lotto Jackpot.
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Paul and Louise Drake, both 47, live in Seafield near Bathgate with their two schoolboy sons ged 11 and 15.

Both are key workers – but only until last week for Paul who was a Production Operator with Lidl and Louise who is a district nurse.

Here's to us - and Lucky Dips: Louise and Paul Drake toast their £5.16 million pound lottery winHere's to us - and Lucky Dips: Louise and Paul Drake toast their £5.16 million pound lottery win
Here's to us - and Lucky Dips: Louise and Paul Drake toast their £5.16 million pound lottery win

Golf and car fanatic Paul revealed he burst into tears after checking their ticket as he got ready to drive to work.

“I car share with two colleagues, and it was my turn to do the driving”, said Paul. “It was about 4:30 in the morning and I was just getting into the car when I had this niggling feeling to check my Lotto Lucky Dip numbers. I checked my ticket and just sat there in shock.

“Now, I’m not an emotional guy but I just burst into tears. I ran back into the house screaming and woke Louise up to tell her. We just couldn’t believe it.”

Louise said: “I got such a fright thinking something was wrong, but he was shouting something about winning the lottery. At first I thought it was £5,000 and tried to go back to sleep. But obviously that didn’t happen!”

Paul and Louise Drake, from Seafield near Bathgate, spray champagne to celebrate their £5.16 million pound lottery winPaul and Louise Drake, from Seafield near Bathgate, spray champagne to celebrate their £5.16 million pound lottery win
Paul and Louise Drake, from Seafield near Bathgate, spray champagne to celebrate their £5.16 million pound lottery win

Paul continued: “As I was the designated driver that day I still had to go and pick up the guys for work. It was so hard to keep it to myself! I went into the office and just said I wouldn’t be able to come in that day.”

Paul then headed home and Louise went off to work. It wasn’t long before the rumour mill started.

“The guys who I drove to work knew something was up and that I was acting strangely! So it wasn’t long before people guessed. Our friends, family and colleagues are over the moon for us, they’re really chuffed, which is great.”

As key workers, Paul and Louise have been working hard over the last 18 months. Throughout the pandemic they’ve been going to work as normal to support their fellow Scots. For Paul though, the money won’t change him.

“We’ve both worked hard all our lives, as did our parents before us. This money is absolutely amazing, and it will change our lives dramatically from a financial perspective, but we won’t let it change who we are. I’ll still chase a bargain and I definitely won’t be paying £6.50 for a bacon roll at the golf club.”

Paul has already set his sights on a Porsche, and potentially a state-of-the-art Range Rover too. Louise loves to travel and wants to take the boys to New York. She’s also planning a trip to Florida for the whole family at some point in the future. The couple are also going to pay off their mortgage.

Louise added: “We actually got married at Gretna Green in 2015. My mum and the boys were with us as we were travelling down to the Blackpool Air Show. We stopped for coffee and just decided to do it then and there, I was wearing jeans. As the only daughter, my mum wasn’t happy. She softened a bit when we took her to Florida with us though, so I definitely want to create more memories like that.”

Paul, who said he would would usually have a plan for choosing his numbers, landed the Wednesday July 28 jackpot with a last-minute Lotto Lucky Dip.

“Normally I am quite organised with my playing but on this occasion I must’ve been rushing about too much, probably taking one of the kids to an activity. I ended up just grabbing three Lucky Dips. I can tell you, the winning Lotto ticket did not leave my side for a week.”

Paul bought his Lotto Lucky Dip tickets from the One Stop store in Seafield. He matched all six main numbers - 23, 26, 34, 36, 44 and 59 - in the draw to scoop the jackpot.

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