Natalie Symes and her fiancé Andrew Symes struck gold on 1 February 2019, taking home £1 million in the EuroMillions UK Millionaire Maker draw, a win that came just days after she was eight months pregnant and already juggling a toddler. The couple, living in Thornbury, Bristol, were caught in a heavy snowstorm when Andrew, on his way home from work, stopped by a Tesco to buy supplies and impulsively purchased a lottery ticket while a radio announcement caught his ear.
Andrew recalled the scene: he told a friend that he had heard about the rollover jackpot “while in the car” and decided to buy a ticket on a whim. Natalie, who was battling swine flu at the time, later remembered jokingly waving cash from a sold‑off pushchair while she and Andrew checked the numbers on a quiet evening. The ticket matched the winning combination, and the couple immediately called Camelot to verify the prize.
The euphoria was short‑lived, for the baby that would arrive just days later. Natalie went into labour on 5 February, a month before the expected due date, and gave birth to a healthy girl named Poppy at 36 weeks. The four‑day gap between the lottery win and the birth became a defining moment for the family, who celebrated both a financial miracle and new life in quick succession.
With the money, the Symeses purchased their first property, a bungalow that would serve as a stable base during the subsequent COVID‑19 lockdowns. Andrew, who had been a payroll supervisor at a pensions firm, was freed from the need to work while his wife managed the household, a change that allowed Natalie to attend school runs and community events without the pressure of a full‑time job.
Natalie's story echoes data that Bristol is one of the luckiest places in the UK for lottery winners, with 100 national millionaires in the region and 669 players winning £50,000 or more. The couple’s win not only altered their personal trajectory but also highlighted the impact a single lottery ticket can have on a family’s future.