A lucky dad almost missed out on winning a $2,573,200 (£2m) house – because he “liked a pint” in the pub.
Tom Steenson, 63, got a knock on the door telling him he had taken the four-bed house and $321,588.75 (£250,000) in cash.
But at first he considered not answering in case the call would “interfere with my trip to the pub”.
Tom, originally from Bolton but now living in Maidstone, opened the door to discover he had won the latest Omaze Million Pound House draw in Devon.
He said “missing that pint made me a millionaire – it’s the best line I’ve ever had!”
He is now the proud owner of a contemporary four-bedroom house near the picturesque seaside town of Exmouth.
It comes complete with a heated pool as well as spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and coastline.
His new property comes mortgage free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered.
He also accumulated $321,588.75 in cash to help get him settled and can either live in the house, rent it out for extra income, or sell it whenever he wants to become a cash multi-millionaire.
If he decides to rent it out, local estate agents estimate the property could fetch a long-term rental value of $7,720 (£6,000) to $9,004 (£7,000) a month.
Tom, who bought his multi-million pound winning entry for just $25.73 (£20) as part of his Omaze subscription, was on his way to the pub when Omaze first knocked on his door to to tell him that he would receive a prize. .
His wife of 35 years, Carole, 58, answered the door.
She called Tom to say the Omazes were at the door, but he almost didn’t answer as he thought he might “interfere with my trip to the pub!”.
He said: “Of course I always answer when my wife calls me and thank you for doing it!
Missing that pint made me a millionaire – it’s the best line I’ve ever had!
“It was really just another Friday. I was off to get a haircut and then planned to go straight to the pub for a beer at the end of the week with friends, so I was out when Omaze knocked.
“My wife answered and was skeptical at first, she initially thought the Omaze team were the police! She was joking, what has he done now!?
“She called me to say Omaze were at our house but I pretty much ignored her as I thought it might interfere with my trip to the pub!
“Of course, I always answer when my wife calls me, and thank God I do as I paid her this time!
“We didn’t know what I was going to win at the time so I asked her if it was the house and she said I shouldn’t have thought that, neither of us really expected it.
“I didn’t go to the pub and instead hurried home. Missing that pint made me a millionaire, it’s the best line I’ve ever had!
“Our daughter came over and we celebrated with a few bottles of champagne and a huge Chinese takeout! For once, the fortune cookies were right!”
About his new home he said: “The house is just magnificent, it looks like something out of a movie! 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 from time to time – but we never thought we’d have one!
“We love the house, there is plenty of space for all our friends and family to come and stay.
“The pool looks great! It’s a bit boring today, but if I had my undies on I’d definitely be tempted to take a dip!
“Devon is beautiful, we love being in the countryside and by the sea. Waking up to these hills and sea views will never be boring.”
Of his connection with CALM he said: “The charity means a lot to me personally, I’ve struggled with my mental health over the years – I was struggling in 2019, it was a really tough time, but support networks like CALM helped me to a really dark time.I can’t believe where I am today, it’s a terrible turn from then to now!
“I’m so happy that Omaze has raised so much money for CALM – it’s such an important charity.”
On his big win: “This win means we won’t have to worry about money anymore – it’s a dream come true. I may retire early but my boss need not worry as I will continue to work for a while, I like to stay busy.
“Our grandchildren will love this place, they have already planned a big pool party.
“Our son lives in Australia and if this country doesn’t bring him back for Christmas, nothing will! Of course, we can fly him now – maybe in business class if he plays his cards right!
“We’ll definitely enjoy the house for a little while, but we’ll probably sell it, maybe next year, as the money we’ll get is life-changing for the whole family.
“Thanks to the $321,588.75 (£250,000) we won as part of the win, we could afford to stay here for ten years if we wanted to. Selling and banking the cash would enable us to help all our children and grandchildren – it’s an intergenerational legacy for our family. We can help our children get on the property ladder now – it’s all very exciting!”
Tom and Carole have lived in their current 2 bedroom house in Maidstone since 2021. They have a son and a daughter as well as two grandchildren. They also have a Cocker Spaniel named Dazzle.
Tom has worked in training and development for the motor industry for 38 years.
Tom’s new house is a wonderful example of modern architecture. It has been meticulously designed to celebrate the surrounding landscape – with full-height windows running the length of the property, offering stunning views of the Devonshire countryside from almost every room, while also allowing natural light to pour in and fill the the whole house.
The 4,200-square-foot property combines elegant style with high-quality, custom fixtures and modern amenities. It features sleek architectural lines and an open-concept design that seamlessly merges indoor and outdoor living.
It has an impressive atrium with a roof above to provide a fantastic sense of space and light. The heart of the home is the double height living and dining room space, with a galleried landing above and sliding glass doors below opening onto the landscaped rear gardens.
The well-proportioned kitchen and breakfast room also features sliding glass doors to the gardens and includes a large central island with a breakfast bar and Corian worktops, stylish fitted units and integrated Siemens appliances.
The first floor has a large lounge and open plan dining area for Tom to entertain or relax. There is also a study overlooking the gardens.
Upstairs, the spacious landing offers a sitting area leading to three beautifully appointed double bedrooms.
These include the generous master bedroom, complete with dressing room and en-suite bathroom. The first floor also has a family bathroom with a separate shower.
Adjacent to the main house is an elegant guest annex, with independent kitchenette and suite.
The south-east facing garden to the rear comprises a raised terrace, swimming pool, a lawned area and extensive views across the surrounding fields and out to sea.
As well as making Tom a multi-millionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Devon, raised $4,502,260 (£3.5m) for the Campaign Against Living Miserably – CALM.
Someone in the UK dies by suicide every 90 minutes. It is now the leading cause of death for young men and women under 50.
CALM services have never been more needed. Its suicide prevention helpline answers a call every 59 seconds. The charity says answering so many calls is a constant challenge.
The money raised from the partnership with Omaze is the largest single donation in the charity’s history and will make a transformational difference. It will go towards CALM’s suicide prevention services, including their life-saving helpline to help more people find hope and a reason to stay, keeping more families and loved ones together .
The Omaze partnership was supported by comedian and CALM patron Romesh Ranganathan, who was delighted with the “unbelievable” amount raised.
Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM said; “We knew this partnership with Omaze would be a game changer for us, but this is far beyond what we imagined. $4,502,260 (£3.5m) is an incredible, life-saving amount and could mean we are able to protect our suicide prevention helpline for the next 2 years and save so many lives in the process.
“At a time when our services have never been more needed, this money will be vital to ensure people get the support they need to end their misery, not their lives.
“So a massive thank you from everyone at the Campaign Against Living Miserably! Every single person who entered the draw helped us raise this incredible amount.”
James Oakes, International Head at Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is thrilled that Tom has won this special home in Devon, while contributing to the $4,502,260 (£3.5m) raised for CALM, a charity that will it means a lot to him.
“Omaze offers people the chance to win amazing homes, like this incredible house in Devon, while introducing the charity to new audiences they wouldn’t normally reach – it’s a real win to enter and our partners charity. We’re incredibly proud that the Omaze community has now raised over $81,040,680 (£63 million) for good causes across the UK.”
Draw entries for the latest Omaze Million Pound House draw, in Wirral, are available now at omaze.co.uk. The draw closes on Sunday, November. 24 for online entries and Tuesday, Nov. 26 for postal entries.
Entrants may also choose to subscribe to Omaze to be automatically entered into each Grand Prize Drawing each month. Omaze subscribers receive at least four times the number of entries compared to non-subscribers and can cancel their subscription at any time.
For full terms and conditions see http://www.omaze.co.uk. No purchase necessary to enter. Over 18 and UK residents only.
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