One of the most common questions lottery players ask is what happens when you win the lottery? Well, you’re in luck, because Andy Carter, the Senior Winners Advisor at Camelot has given his top tips to new lottery winners in a recent interview with Wales Online.
My lottery numbers have come up. Now what do I do?
The first step is to call the number on the back of your ticket and make your claim at the prize. The staff in the call center love receiving these calls and know exactly just how excited you will be. If you are lucky enough to win more than £50,000 your details are passed onto Andy and his team, and they will arrange to pay you a visit to help you organize the next steps.
What happens when we meet to claim my prize?
When Andy and his team arrive at your place after your big win, this is your big opportunity to ask any of the big questions. They will walk you through the next steps, help you with any paperwork that needs doing and help answer any questions they can. Some of the most common questions from new winners are:
How long until I get my lottery prize money?
It will take 48 hours for your winnings to transfer into your account.
Can I take my lottery winnings in cash?
Unfortunately, no, not with a win this big.
How long will Camelot be in contact and hold my hand?
That depends from winner to winner, some people want to be in contact for quite some time, others just take their money and are on their way. In general, the winners who choose to keep their identities private are more likely to be independent quicker. Winners who go public often help Andy and his team out as brand ambassadors. A few weeks later you’ll have another meeting with a lawyer, a financial expert and a Camelot representative. This is just to make sure everything is sorted out correctly. Andy’s team can also help put you in contact with other winners, often for new winners, talking to a past winner can help process all the things running through your mind as they have been there before.
Andy’s top tip for lottery winners is to open a private bank account, and have your winnings deposited into it. Most of the big banks have teams that specialize in dealing with wealthy customers and lotto winners. These specialty teams don’t share knowledge about customers with ordinary branch staff. This can help you stay anonymous should you wish too.
Before you start thinking about what happens when you win the lottery, you need to find out if you’ve won. Check out the latest UK lottery results for all of the nation’s favourites, check your tickets, and cross your fingers!