Three mates shocked to win £1 million after setting up syndicate in college

Three pals who started a lottery syndicate while in college have scooped one million quid on the EuroMillions.

Alex Gwynne, 28, Dan Phillips, 25, and Kyle Bowen, 25, from Wales, decided to start playing the lottery six years ago after a group in the year above them at college won £5,000. You can see them talk about their win here:

At the time, their lecturer joked that it might be a good idea for the three mates to start their own syndicate, which they did - a move that would that turn out to be very wise.

Alex said: "We've all got good careers thanks to our apprenticeships through the college but looking at my bank account now, it does feel that our lecturer's advice to create a National Lottery syndicate might have been some of the soundest!"

The trio won the £1,000,000 prize on the EuroMillions European Millionaire Maker draw on 3 February - when there was a special draw that made 100 millionaires in one night.

The National Lottery

Alex added: “Alongside my day job, I manage a band – Ratoon - so I was just about to head to Cardiff when my mate’s dad told me about the special EuroMillions draw.

"I thought it had to be worth a go so bought a few EuroMillions Lucky Dip tickets using the National Lottery app, some for me and some for the syndicate.

“I went off to Cardiff and thought nothing more until the following morning when I was watching TV in bed, waiting for our little one to get up, and idly scrolling on my phone. I saw a ‘news about your ticket’ email and logged in only to see a win of £2.40.

The National Lottery

"Feeling a bit disappointed that was all I’d won, I scrolled down to our syndicate tickets where my disappointment immediately stopped because I saw £1,000, then looked again and saw it was actually £1,000,000. I was stunned, to put it mildly!”

After realising they’d won big, Alex rushed to share the good news with Kyle and Dan, who was just popping out the shower.

Dan said: “Usually when he buys tickets Alex puts it on our WhatsApp group so the boys know what draw we’re in, on this occasion he hadn’t so when the phone went I assumed he was just arranging a catch up.

"Not that I don’t like catching up with the boys, but discovering I’d won a share of £1,000,000 was even better news, and probably the best news I’ve had while stark naked!"