Sutton work syndicate wins more than £150,000 on EuroMillions

Crystal Martin’s warehouse in Sutton-in-Ashfield, where they all work, is closing this summer and all warehousing staff are being made redundant.

Warehouse senior supervisor Craig Rowland, from Mansfield, created the syndicate last month as a way to bring everyone together following the announcement.

The syndicate matched five numbers plus one lucky star in the draw on to win £159,609.40.

Each syndicate member will get £3,469.76.

Craig, 40, recalled: “I was out having a curry when a syndicate member rang asking if I had checked the EuroMillions draw that night?

“I quickly checked the numbers myself on the app and then phoned my wife Natalie who was at home to scan the tickets and we had won.

“I had four of the syndicate with me that night and they were all asking me while I was on the phone if we had won and how much.

“We were all gobsmacked but didn’t want to get too excited as the ticket hadn’t been checked.

“It was about 11.30pm when I got home, Natalie had already gone to bed so I sat there checking the ticket again.”

Craig called Camelot first thing the next morning by which time the syndicate’s Facebook Messenger group was awash with comments.

He said: “I had to wait for a call back and in the meantime the phone never stopped, in fact it hasn’t been quiet since.”

Denise Marshall, 59, one of the syndicate members, said: “It’s great timing, everybody is so pleased and for me personally it gives me a financial comfort blanket until I work out what to do with it, but I will be treating my four grandchildren.”

The traditional win celebration has had to be put on ice for the syndicate with the current social distancing advice due to coronavirus.

Craig accepted the cheque on behalf of the syndicate and promised to hold a celebration when the time was right.

He said, “We have a giant bottle of champagne which has enough for a glass for every syndicate member but it is important we all keep a safe distance at the moment.

“We will keep washing our hands for the time being and save our celebration for later.”