Winning the Lottery.. and yet losing it

Winning a 3 million pound lottery can be the perfect wedding anniversary gift for any couple. But imagine not being awarded the money because of a technical difficulty? It is enough to turn the beautiful dream into a horrible nightmare.

This is exactly what happened to Martin and Kay Tott of Watford. The couple had been lottery enthusiasts for quite some time now and had been overjoyed to recognize their number on the TV screen as winners of a Camelot lottery. They were quite certain that they really hit the Mega Jackpot this time. But in a twist of fate, the unfortunate couple could not find the ticket and hence were not allowed to claim the prize. In fact, Camelot officials had ascertained without a doubt that the Totts were indeed the winners, but as they had exceeded the 30-day time limit to report the lost ticket, the company had no need to pay up.

The news had a huge negative impact on the couple and their relationship. They have termed it the cruelest torture and admitted that the experience has strained their marriage.

Mrs Kay Tott, a 24 year old receptionist, said that thinking that she was going to have the money had given her the most magical feeling. Learning that it would be gone had the exact opposite effect. She is yet to get over this and still feels very depressed about the unfortunate incident. Her husband had been harboring dreams of leaving his job to buy a house, raise a family and buy a new car. However, now he continues the 9 to 5 grind with a fashion chain where he works as a Purchasing Manager.

The couple does feel that the rules had been too rigidly applied and they should have been awarded the lottery. It was in September that they had been informed that an unclaimed lottery winner had been bought in their town. On checking the numbers, they saw it was their ticket. But they had bought it almost five months prior to this and could not find it anywhere. The entire apartment was searched thoroughly, but to no avail. However, the couple were able to inform Camelot of the exact store and time of purchase. The Security Chief of Camelot, Martin Challis, did an extensive search into the couple’s claim and the final verdict was that it was a genuine appeal.

However, the National Lottery Commission decided that the 30 day rule had been broken and the couple could not collect the prize. A most unfortunate story for the Totts, but we sincerely hope that they will put this behind them and continue being a happily married couple.

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