Facts & Figures: the UK National Lottery

Living the Dream
Jackpot winners reveal their millionaire lifestyles

Source of information: Camelot plc - visit http://www.camelotgroup.co.uk

The UK National Lottery® has unveiled a major new survey among jackpot winners from the past 10 years. The survey was carried out by MORI who interviewed major winners who have chosen publicity and have won around £1 million or over. It provides an insight into the lifestyles changes of the new millionaires, their spending patterns and the success of their investments.

Winners’ generosity

- One in seven jackpot winners has given £1 million or more to a family member or friend. This means that an additional 728 indirect millionaires have been created over 10 years.

- 98% of jackpot winners have given a proportion of their winnings to family. Nearly three quarters of winners (73%) have given some of their winnings to friends and 87% of jackpot winners have given a proportion away to charity.

- One in four jackpot winners has given away over 30% of their winnings.

Does money make you happy?

- Lottery winners report they are as happy (35%) or happier (65%) since hitting the jackpot.

- Reasons for being happier included financial security (64%), being able to do and buy what they liked (43%), and enjoying an easier life (23%).

- Lack of pressure, stress and worries (28%); being able to give up work (14%); and look after family and friends (13%) were deemed the best things to happen after a win.

- 92% of winners who were married when they won, are still married to the same person.

Spend, spend, spend…

- Three quarters of big winners moved home with 91% of winners buying detached homes and 65% choosing to live in the countryside. Nine out of 10 winners moved within 20 miles of their previous property, with almost two in three moving within a five mile radius.

- One in seven big winners now own a property abroad with over half buying in Spain, while a quarter have bought in the USA.

- The USA is a favourite holiday destination for a fifth (21%) of lottery winners. 10% fly to Spain (including the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands) and 9% to the Caribbean, while one third (34%) of big winners have been on a cruise since their win.

- Two thirds of winners (63%) have taken three or more holidays a year since their lottery win, while 7% of winners take 10 or more holidays a year.

Driving the dream

- One in 10 winners bought at least 10 cars since their win.

- 35% of jackpot winners own a brand new BMW, 26% a new Range Rover or Land Rover, and 27% a new Ford.

Winners and Work

- 87% of winners were employed when they won, just one quarter of those (27%) still work – 55% are full-time and 45% work part-time.

- One third of jackpot winners have either started their own business (27%) or bought into an existing business (7%).

Investments

- Jackpot winners have invested a proportion of their winnings into stocks and shares (78%), a high interest account/ISA/pension scheme (72%), home improvements (69%), property in the UK (53%), their own business (30%) and property abroad (14%).

- 40% of big winners own and rent out property in the UK. Of those who have bought property in the UK as an investment, 74% rent it out as a means of safe-guarding some of their winnings. Those who have invested in Buy-to-Lets have on average 3.7 properties each.

Source of above information: Camelot plc - visit http://www.camelotgroup.co.uk 

Additional Facts:

• Unclaimed prizes total over £426.4 million.

• The average weekly sales are around £82m (~£54m on Saturdays and ~£28m on Wednesdays). 

• Total sales since launch total over £34.6 billion. 

• There are currently £34.2 million of unclaimed prizes within the 180 day deadline. 

• The UK Lottery Game creates over one million winners each week. 

• Total Prizes have reached £16.6 billion. 

• The largest 'Rollover' win to date is £28 million won by one person. 

• The largest single ticket non-Rollover jackpot win to date is £22.5 million shared by 2 winners in June 1995. 

• The highest total jackpot amount was £42,008,610 from the draw on 6th January 1996 and was shared by 3 ticket holders. 

• The average jackpot ticket is around £2,053,984. 

• A winners' survey has shown that 90% of all jackpot winners have continued to play The UK Lottery in the hope of enjoying the experience of winning all over again.