Oxfordshire man wins £1m using late father's lottery numbers
Sean's father left behind a copy of his lottery numbers which he played each week
Last updated 20th Mar 2026
A keen gardener from Oxfordshire has won a remarkable £1 million on the Lotto, thanks to a touching connection with his late father's cherished numbers.
Sean Hayes, a 56-year-old from Witney, realised his life-changing windfall while on a date night at a local pub,.
Sean had been playing the same set of numbers that his father, James, used until his passing in 2010.
After rediscovering the booklet where his father recorded the Lotto numbers, Sean hadn't anticipated the impact they would soon have:
“My dad had a little booklet which he wrote his Lotto numbers in, and at first after he passed away, I would put the numbers on each week but then I lost the booklet.”
He found the booklet again around Christmas time, deciding to play those numbers once more, leading to his extraordinary win.
“To think that my dad chose these numbers all those years ago before he died is just unbelievable and it’s a really nice connection to my dad’s memory.”
The first thing Sean hopes to do with his winnings is to buy a home with a garden
He also dreams of upgrading his car and planning memorable trips with his wife, Sara.
Sean said, “I’m so grateful to my dad to have chosen these numbers, the money is going to make a real difference to our lives.
"Being able to buy our own house after years of renting is going to be so great and we would love somewhere with a garden. I have an allotment and enjoy spending time there, but it would be ideal to have some green space at home too."
“I won’t be giving up work just yet. Sara and I enjoy travelling around the UK and we go on a date night once a week, so we’ll plan some trips and some extra special date nights.”