OUTTA LUCK
I was so excited when I won lottery jackpot I couldn’t sleep… until I realised my devastating mistake
Scroll down to find out the mistake not many people know about
A MAN has revealed he thought he'd won the lottery jackpot - but was devastated to find out he'd just won £2.50.
Imagine the thrill of waking up to an email saying you’ve just hit the lottery jackpot.
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That’s exactly what one Reddit user thought had happened - heart racing, mind already spinning with visions of fast cars, luxury holidays, and handing in that resignation letter with a grin.
But the unlucky Redditor was let down the hard way when he thought he’d struck gold—only to discover he hadn’t won big at all.
The Redditor shared his heartbreak in a thread where users were discussing what actually happens when you win the lottery.
They sarcastically said: "Getting that email the next morning and then checking to see if you’ve won… £2.50, the best feeling ever."
Lottery
It’s a story that will have every lottery player groaning in sympathy.
Another user chimed in, describing that agonising moment of suspense between seeing the word “Congratulations” and realising you’ve only bagged pocket change.
They said: “That small interval where you allow yourself to hope.”
It’s enough to make anyone’s stomach drop.
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But it doesn’t stop there. A third user admitted they avoid checking their lottery notifications until the next day, saying they prefer to lie in bed planning their new life of luxury before reality kicks in.
They added: “I lie in bed planning until I go to sleep.”
Three Powerball prizes worth $150,000 remain unclaimed in the same state – and some expire in just weeks
For many, the lottery isn’t just about the money—it’s about the fantasy.
One commenter wisely noted that the real joy comes from the anticipation.
The user chimed in saying: “That’s the way to play, I always view the purchase as buying the fun exercise of dreaming and planning.
"Winning would be incredible, but the simple joy of dreaming and waiting is worth the occasional quid.”
But for this Redditor, the cold slap of reality came in the form of a devastating realisation.
One user kindly pointed out his mistake.
Adding to the thread, they said: “If you win big they don’t send you those emails.
"They ring you. So if you get one of those, you can be certain it’s not much money.”
So, the next time you get a lottery notification, don’t get too excited—unless your phone starts ringing.
It turns out, the real win might just be in the dreams we have along the way.
Meanwhile, thinking you've won the lottery and then finding out otherwise is no doubt crushing, especially after you've gushed about it to all your friends.
One couple felt this heartbreak after boasting they had won a hefty £182million on the EuroMillions - but were “disqualified” for a devastating reason.
Rachel Kennedy and boyfriend Liam McCrohan, both from Hertfordshire, had played the winning numbers for five weeks straight before they eventually came up in a draw.
Rachel was notified by the National Lottery app that her regular numbers had come up and were a “winning match,” which made her think she had got a big win.
The business student told The Sun in 2021: “I went on the app and it said ‘Winning Match’ and I thought ‘Oh my God, I’ve won.’
“So I called my boyfriend Liam and my mum into the room and they couldn't believe it either."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
But their excitement didn’t last long when they realised their win counted for nothing because of a devastating reason.
Elsewhere, sometimes losing lottery wins is out of the players hands, which was seemingly the case for a lottery player that believes they missed out on a hefty win due to a ticket machine “glitch”.
How to enter the Lotto
Players can buy Lotto tickets from authorised retailers across the UK or even enter draws online.
To play Lotto, you simply select six numbers between 1 and 59.
Draws take place on Wednesday at 8.30pm and Saturday at 7.45pm, so make sure to check .
However you choose to play, the steps you need to follow are the same:
- Step 1: Choose your six numbers from 1-59.You can select your own numbers or have a random selection made for you by purchasing a Lucky Dip ticket or using a .
- Step 2: Decide how many lines you want to play.Retailers allow you to select up to seven lines of numbers on a single play slip.
- Step 3: Purchase your entries before the cutoff time for that draw.
- Step 4: Relax and wait for the results!The page will display the latest results immediately after each draw. Alternatively, you can watch live on YouTube, draws are also broadcast on ITV1 every Saturday evening at 8.15pm.
A responsible gamer is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
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