A £7.5 million lottery win is the fantasy retirement with exotic getaways and maybe a new palace to some people, but to 20-year-old James Clarkson of Carlisle, Cumbria, it meant heading to the job the next day.
Clarkson, a young apprentice to his father, won the National Lottery jackpot of the year when his ticket contained the right six numbers, 16, 19, 22, 24, 27, and 35, in the National Lottery draw on January 4.
Far from popping champagne corks and ordering designer holidays, however, he was unblocking drains in the ice and snow within 24 hours.
“I was out in the cold fixing blocked drains the day after I found out I had won. It was a bit grim, but that’s reality,” said Clarkson.
“I’m not going to stop working, I’m too young. I want to qualify as a heating engineer and then go from there. I need to have a purpose in life, plus dad wouldn’t let me work anyway!”
The unlikely victory
Being Eddie trailer
Clarkson had actually spent the recent snowy conditions at his then girlfriend’s apartment when reaching to check his phone to find out the weather, as opposed to the lottery results. That is where he saw that the National Lottery had pushed a notification onto his phone.
“I opened it straight away but couldn’t see anything to begin with; then I scrolled down and saw I’d matched all six main Lotto numbers to hit the jackpot and that my prize amount was £7,533,329! I just didn’t believe it! I thought I was dreaming!”
Of course, his initial reaction was to inform someone. Clarkson woke his then-girlfriend to break the news of the life-altering development, only to wake her up and go back to bed, figuring that it was a joke.
But he decided to break the news to his dad, who is both boss and parent. And true to character, Dad took it as gospel that he should still go to the office the following day.
Being grounded
Even though he is a multimillionaire overnight, his priorities remain the same, that is, finishing the gas engineering degree prior to making such giant strides.
“I know people might think I’m mad to still work,” he explained. “Of course, there’ll be some nice holidays in between.”
As a hard-core Manchester City fan, Clarkson’s already contemplating a season ticket to the games, something within his grasp now. Luxurious shopping trips, however, aren’t exactly near the top of his list.
“I’m not really a fan of shopping; it’s not my idea of fun,” he admitted. “But a new car, that would be massive! If you drive a cold work van all day, going from job to job, you’d understand.”
Giving back
Most of all, Clarkson detailed that he’d be working on putting the winnings towards his family. He decided to use the money to pay off his parents’ mortgage. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot; it’s what I want to do.”
“We are close, and they have always been there for me. This win isn’t just for me. I want to make sure we all benefit.”
With his feet still firmly on the ground and his work boots still on, Clarkson proves that not every lottery winner ditches their day job for a life of luxury. Sometimes, the best jackpot is the satisfaction of earning your own way… even with £7.5 million sitting in the bank.
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