A dad almost missed out on winning a stunning £2m home – because he wanted to go to the pub.
Tom Steenson, originally from Bolton but living in Maidstone, is now the proud owner of a luxurious four-bedroom detached home in the picturesque coastal town of Exmouth.
He is the lucky winner of the Omaze Million Pound House Draw in Devon, claiming the £2m home and £250k cash.
Sporting a large heated swimming pool and panoramic views of the surrounding coastline and landscapes, Tom, 64, nearly missed out on his winnings due to debating answering the phone as it might have interfered with his “trip to the pub”.
The lucky winner bought his multi-million-pound winning entry for just £20 as part of his Omaze subscription. He was on his way to the pub when Omaze first knocked on his door to tell him he’d scooped a prize.
His wife of 35 years Carole, 58, answered the door and initially thought the team that came to share the news were the police, joking “what’s he done now!?”
Immediately calling her husband to share the life changing news, Tom almost didn’t answer.
He said: “Obviously I always answer when my wife calls and thank goodness I do! Missing that pint made me a millionaire – it’s the best pint I’ve never had!”
The couple’s new property comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered. He also won a whopping £250,000 in cash to help him settle in and can decide to either live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income or sell it whenever he wishes to become a cash multi-millionaire.
If the lucky couple do decide to rent it out, local estate agents estimate that the property could achieve a long-term rental value of between £6,000 to £7,000 per month.
Tom said: “Our daughter came over and we celebrated with a couple of bottles of champagne and a big Chinese takeaway! For once the fortune cookies were correct.
“The house is just magnificent, it looks like something out of a film! It’s not unfair to say it’s a bit nicer than where we currently live! My wife is a part time cleaner and cleans houses like this every now and then – but we never thought we’d end up owning one!”
Tom shares how his big win means they will “never have to worry about money ever again” yet is choosing to stay working for a while to keep busy.
The couple have said that for now, they will keep the house and enjoy its offerings, but will most likely sell the property next year to cash in on the life-changing sum from selling.
Tom and Carole currently live in a two bedroom house in Maidstone, with Tom working in training and development in the motor industry for 38 years.
