Two UK police officers who are married recently hit a £1 million ($1.5 million) Lottery prize. But they plan to continue at their jobs, at least for the time being.
Graeme White, 35, and his wife, Katherine, 36, serve as police officers in the county of Cambridgeshire. They hit their £1 million with a Millionaire Maker code on their ticket for the EuroMillions prize draw on May 7.
Despite the life-changing win, they plan on staying in their jobs for the time being. The couple have two young children, ages five and three, so they will be keeping up their employment (at reduced hours) to set a good example for their children.
“This win changes everything for us, it gives us breathing space, both physically and financially,” Graeme White said, speaking to the UK’s National Lottery this week.
“Now, thanks to our amazing lucky break, we don’t have to wait, our dream home can become a reality, and we can start house hunting right away. It’s crazy to think, but our 20-year plan has now become our 12-month plan!”
Millionaire Maker
Graeme was at work when he got the notification he had won, but he assumed that it was just a few pounds, as he regularly received such notifications playing the lottery each week.
After work, he checked the notification and saw he’d won £1 million. Both being police officers, the couple admitted being initially slightly skeptical of the winning notification.
They weren’t previously aware that the prize they had won, the £1 million Millionaire Maker, existed. And they had plenty of experience with scams. But a quick online search revealed the notification, and the prize was legit.
The Euro Millions is run in partnership with The National Lottery, run by Allwyn, but it is a European-wide lottery game, much like Powerball and MegaMillions are run in the U.S.
Allwyn add a unique spin for UK customers. It gives each ticket sold in the UK a Millionaire Maker code, and then at least one is selected randomly in each draw for a £1 million prize.
Trip to Disneyland
Although the couple don’t plan on quitting their jobs, they will be cutting down their hours.
“We’re only young and both enjoy what we do, so see no need to stop. But we have cut down our hours, which means we’ll have more of a work-life balance. I also think it’s important for the children to see us working to instill a good work ethic,” Graeme said.
They plan on spending most of their winnings on their dream home in the local area. With some set aside for a pair of dogs and a trip to Disneyland, Florida, for the young family.
“We are big Disney fans, so a trip to Disneyland is definitely in the cards for us,” Katherine said.
“However, closer to home, along with the chickens and goats, we’ve always wanted a family dog, but just didn’t have the space or the time with us both working. It wouldn’t have been fair to the dog. But now, that’s changed. We’re all excited to get a Labrador puppy, especially the children.”
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
