Two people are millionaires and don’t even know it

Two £1,000,000 Lotto tickets have been left unclaimed in the UK, meaning some Brits are walking around unaware they’re millionaires.

The National Lottery have put a call out for players in Cheshire East and the Borough of Tameside to check their tickets.

Anyone who bought a retailer in The Borough of Tameside for the draw on Wednesday, July 1, or Cheshire East for the draw on Saturday, July 4, needs to double check their tickets.

The lottery simply said ‘it could be you!’ for these life-changing wins.

For the Tameside draw, the winning numbers in round 2 were 5, 8, 26, 33, 39, 42. The Bonus Ball was 54, and the ticket-holder has until midnight on 28 December 2026 to claim their prize.

On Saturday, July 4, there were 14 winners, with 10 coming from the Guaranteed Millionaire Raffle, including the mystery ticket holder.

The ticket won with the code AQUA 0049 1681 to scoop £1,000,000, and they have until midnight on New Years Eve (December 31, 2026) to claim their prize.

Previous winners Darren and Laura McGuire from Bolton said: ‘Our Lotto win has allowed us to plan our dream wedding, and I have taken a step back from working seven days a week to spend more time with the kids – which means more than anything.

‘I still pinch myself that it’s real and it actually happened to us.’

He added: ‘Winning £1,000,000 has meant so much to our family and it could do the same for two winners sat on the exact amount nearby. I can’t say this enough – check your tickets, tell your friends to check theirs – colleagues, family – the postman – everyone who bought a ticket in Cheshire East or Tameside as it really could be you.’

The McGuires’ sentiments were echoed by Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery.

He urged everyone to check their tickets, sharing: ‘Thirty days on from the draws, we’re asking everyone who bought a Lotto ticket in these areas to take another look. Check your wallet, check the kitchen drawer, check the shopping bag and make sure friends and family do the same.’

‘Whether it’s paying off the mortgage, helping family, travelling the world or simply providing financial freedom,’ he continued. ‘We’d love nothing more than to unite these prizes with the winners.’

Winners have 180 days to collect their prize, with the new Lotto format reportedly having made 100 millionaires this year so far.

It’s estimated over 37million adults in the UK play the lottery at least once a year, that’s about 68% of the population.

If you’ve got the winning ticket, call the National Lottery Line on 0333 234 5050 or email help@national-lottery.co.uk.

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