We won lottery TWICE in less than a year but never paid a penny for our ticket – here’s how you can do the same

A COUPLE won the lotto twice in less than a year – and they never paid a penny for their ticket.

Retirees Val and Jeff Hollingsworth, from Putnoe, northern Bedford, managed to get lucky twice in the space of only 10 months.

They initially won £665.53 on Pick My Postcode and have now just won another £1,094.29.

Their winnings are being put towards a holiday fund with a trip planned to visit their grandchildren in Perth, Australia.

Speaking about winning the lottery for a second time, Val told the : “We couldn’t believe it. Less than a year after the first win as well.

“Jeff got me to double-check it in case he was wrong.”

Jeff, 75, joined the site eight years ago and had never missed checking the daily draws, even when they were on holiday.

Val, 62, joined the site a few years after.

The main draw prize money is usually £200 but had not been claimed for three days, meaning the winnings had rolled over to £600.

When their postcode came up, they both claimed, sharing the £600 kitty.

Adding on Jeff’s bonus of £438.11 and Val’s £56.18, that pushed their total combined winnings to £1,094.29.

Overall, adding on the previous win last year, the couple have won £1,759.82.

When asked what they would say to those losing hope of a win, they said: “Believe. It could be you next.”

In February last year, Pick My Postcode lottery player Sarah Kendell bagged £1,200 after she had been checking every day for six years to see if she'd won.

This comes as hundreds of people win prizes every day, including the biggest ever winner Diane.

The lucky Shepton Mallet winner scooped £3,345 in the Stackpot draw.

In Nottingham, another lucky winner, Sylvia Ross, raked in £814.02.