Pete Daly, a EuroMillions winner, finally received his winnings 52 days after making his claim. The 71-year-old scooped £582.20 in the lottery back in July but claimed he had to rely on food banks while waiting for his payout.
Earlier this month, he told the ECHO about his win and how he was promised his winnings within 10 days. However, 33 days later, there was still no sign of the money.
Due to the delay, Pete said he was forced to use foodbanks, couldn’t afford a haircut, and desperately needed new shoes.
Pete, hailing from Pensby, Wirral, used his monthly cash to pay off his car insurance, banking on his winnings to tide him over. But when the money didn’t materialise, he found himself in a tight spot.
(Image: Megan Banner)
He told the ECHO: “When I found out I had won I paid my car insurance off with my entire cash for the month because I was thinking this money would come in to keep me afloat for the month. So, I’ve been living in food banks all month because it hasn’t come in, I can’t afford a haircut, I need new shoes. I can’t afford anything because I paid for the car insurance thinking I’d get this money within 10 days.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
He added: “I’m stuck in the house, I can’t afford to go anywhere, I can’t afford the waste of fuel. I need this money, I’m struggling, money is the difference to being able to live, it sorts me to be able to live, not living well, but living.”
A spokesperson for Allwyn, the lottery operator, apologised and explained: “We’re very sorry to hear the concerns raised and colleagues have now called Mr Daly with an update. We successfully process hundreds sometimes thousands of prize claims every week.”
They added that the issue arose after a change in procedure due to the Post Office’s decision: “This is following the introduction of a revised claims process that we had to bring in earlier this year following the Post Office’s decision to no longer pay National Lottery retail prizes between £500.01 and £50,000. Unfortunately, a small number of these claims are delayed for various reasons. However, we’re continuing to work on new ways to help further improve the claims process and would like to reassure our winners that they will definitely receive their prize.”
EuroMillions winner Pete finally got his cash and has been living it up, buying new shoes and essentials like grub.
Pete shared his experience: “I got the letter through the post at 3 o’clock [on September 12], but that’s when the banks shut so I had to pay it into a machine outside. I’d gone straight down.”
He also revealed: “I’ve spent half my winnings already, the other half has to last me until I get my pension in a fortnight. It has been a relief since I got it, I’ve got my new shoes and a haircut.”
After a decade-long punt on the EuroMillions, winner Pete is shunning the game that made him rich. He fumed: “I’m staying clear of the Euromillions now. I’m not doing it anymore after this, it’s not worth it. I’ve been doing it for 30 years. £1,040 a year they are losing out on.”
The Daily Star has made efforts to contact representatives of EuroMillions for comment.