A woman who disregarded her husband’s advice to stop participating in Omaze draws has won a lavish £4.5 million mansion, quipping, “This is exactly why I never listen to my husband.”
Nicola Dickinson, aged 59, instantly became a multi-millionaire by securing the stunning Lake District property, complete with its private lake. Purchasing her winning entry for a mere £25 as part of her Omaze subscription, she had been entering the draws for four years.
Following her big win, Nicola disclosed that her husband of 38 years, Martyn, aged 58, had persistently discouraged her, claiming she would “never win in a million years” – a piece of advice she is now grateful she ignored. The mansion is debt-free, with all stamp duty and legal expenses covered, and boasts over £150,000 worth of furnishings.
Nicola also received a cash prize of £250,000 to aid in her adjustment, with the option to reside in, rent out for additional income, or sell the property at her discretion. When Omaze reached out to Nicola, she was at her home in Swindon, Wiltshire, engaged in routine house chores with her granddaughter.
She mentioned that she and her husband had been contemplating downsizing earlier that morning and initially thought the call was a hoax. Nicola shared, “When I received the call from Omaze, I genuinely thought it was a prank. I hung up and told my husband, ‘That was Omaze, apparently I’ve won something, but it can’t be real.'”
She continued, “I decided to investigate anyway. I put on my boots and coat but then thought, ‘No, this is ridiculous,’ removed them, and went to make tea.”
“Shortly after, they called back saying they were outside, so I put the boots back on. I was hoping for a best-case scenario of winning £1,000, which would’ve been nice. Winning a house never crossed my mind.”
“However, Omaze then informed me that I had won a £4.5 million house, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it. We celebrated with plenty of champagne over the weekend. Dry January was out of the question.”
“I’ve been participating for four years. Martyn kept urging me to stop – but I enjoyed the fact that even if I didn’t win, I was supporting exceptional charities. Winning has proven that this is precisely why I never listen to him, and thankfully I didn’t – we are now multi-millionaires.”
“We had actually been discussing downsizing earlier that morning to manage our expenses better – but now we’ve significantly upsized. It’s a strange turn of events.”
If Nicola opts to rent out the property, local real estate agents estimate it could fetch a monthly rental value of about £4,000. She added, “Martyn joked that he’s a bit disappointed he didn’t win the Porsche 911, but I reminded him that if he plays his cards right, I can afford to buy him one now.”
“My husband was concerned that morning that we had spent too much on Christmas cards. If I had known I was going to win an Omaze house, I would have spent twice as much.”
“It’s January, the longest month of the year, and we usually get to the end of the month and say, ‘Phew, we made it.’ This completely changes that. Obviously, it’s the best January ever.”
Regarding the impact of the win on her family, she expressed, “We have toiled diligently our entire lives, not just for ourselves but for our family, and this win truly alters everything for all of us.”
“We are eager to support our children and grandchildren and help provide them with the best possible opportunities. It feels like a legacy for our family for generations to come.”
“We haven’t finalized our long-term plans yet, but we do know we will come together to enjoy it, spending time with family and friends and creating memories we never thought possible.”
“Thanks to the £250,000 cash prize, if we choose to keep the house, we could manage it for many years. It’s incredible to have that option. This win has eased so much financial pressure for us. It offers us security, stability, and peace of mind in a way we never imagined.”
“Martyn has spent most of his career traveling around Europe for work, and now his retirement will look very different. I turn 60 in May, so I think my birthday celebrations have been elevated.”
The couple, with three adult children and three grandchildren, have resided in the same Swindon home for the past three decades. Nicola worked in HR for 28 years before retiring in 2019 and now assists in caring for her granddaughter and other relatives. Martyn serves as a sales director for a self-storage construction firm and has spent the last 20 years traveling to Europe for work.
Situated just outside