Darren Burfitt, a 44-year-old golf club greenkeeper from Swansea, has become an overnight millionaire after a series of fortunate events involving his EuroMillions ticket. The journey to his newfound wealth began when Burfitt left a winning ticket in his unlocked car for four months, only discovering his luck when he was prompted by his son’s request for a packet of crisps.
It all started back in October 2024, when an appeal was made to locate a missing millionaire from a EuroMillions draw held on the 18th of that month. Friends had been urging Burfitt to check the pile of National Lottery tickets accumulating in his car’s central console, but it wasn’t until he needed to retrieve a snack for his son that he decided to scan his tickets using The National Lottery app.
To his astonishment, one of the tickets revealed a £3.60 prize. However, it was another ticket, particularly crumpled and creased, that held the life-changing news: Burfitt had won £1 million through the EuroMillions Millionaire Maker code. "I couldn’t quite believe it when I did. I still cannot believe it now. I just kept looking at the date and then the matching EuroMillions Millionaire Maker code. I just could not comprehend what I was seeing!" Burfitt exclaimed.
Burfitt’s excitement was tinged with a sense of disbelief, especially as he realized that anyone could have taken the winning ticket from his unlocked car. "My car is honestly a shed on wheels held together with mud. It has almost no value, so I never bother to lock it. I dread to think what could have happened to that winning ticket!" he shared.
When he called his wife, Gemma, to share the incredible news, Burfitt’s voice trembled with emotion. Initially, she thought something terrible had happened to one of their children, but once he explained, the couple was left in awe. Gemma, a 34-year-old teaching assistant, admitted, "I just could never imagine having this much money – it is an unreal feeling. I have to keep pinching myself, it feels like a dream which I will wake up from!"
The couple, who are parents to a six-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son, now have their sights set on buying their first home together. Burfitt expressed his desire for a new pick-up truck to replace his aging Citroen, stating, "I keep dreaming of a trip to see the Ashes in Australia, but a pick-up truck is first on the list as my car is literally falling apart. The kids will love the pick-up, and it will enable us to go on even more adventures as a family."
Gemma echoed her husband’s sentiments, noting how this windfall would enhance their family life. "We love our lives and enjoy great caravan holidays, but this just takes things to another level and allows us to do even more as a family," she said.
The National Lottery has been a source of life-changing fortunes for many since its inception in 1994, creating over 7,400 new millionaires. In addition to transforming individual lives, the lottery also supports good causes across the UK, raising over £4 million daily. This latest win for Burfitt serves as a reminder of the lottery’s impact, both on winners and the community.
As the Burfitt family embarks on this exciting new chapter, their story highlights not just the thrill of winning, but also the importance of checking those seemingly forgotten tickets. Who knows? There might be more hidden treasures waiting to be discovered in the glove compartments and consoles of cars across the country.
