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Peterborough's Dean Weymes Revealed as Set For Life Winner

Peterborough's Dean Weymes Revealed as Set For Life Winner
Updated: Wednesday 7th August 2019

The Set for Life jackpot of £10,000 per month for 30 years has been won in the UK. Twenty-four year old Dean Weymes from Peterborough claimed the prize on the 31st July, choosing to reveal his identity to the public on the 6th August.

The results for the Set For Life draw on Monday 29th July were 18, 21, 23, 34 and 39, with a Life Ball of 3. Over 130,000 prizes were won in Monday’s draw, but Weymes was the only player who matched all five main numbers and the Life Ball to win the jackpot prize. One other player matched just the five main balls to win in the second prize tier, laying claim to £10,000 per month for a year. 

Weymes, a screen writing graduate, has already booked a family trip to Disneyland, and left his job with Amazon to pursue his dream career. "I have always wanted to fulfil my dream to become a script writer and this now allows me the freedom to do it. I didn’t have to give it a second thought – I quit my current role so I can begin to work on the job I have always wanted."

The National Lottery’s Senior Winners’ Adviser Andy Carter said about the Set for Life win: “Another winner will now experience what it's like to be Set For Life after matching the five main numbers and the Life Ball in tonight's draw. They can look forward to living the good life and set about ticking off their bucket list dreams.”

Set for Life Jackpot History

Dean Weymes already holds a place in Set for Life history, becoming one of four people to win the top prize. Weymes is so far just the second-ever person to win a jackpot by matching all five main numbers and the Life Ball; in June, a single ticket was the first to match all numbers and clinch the top prize. The winner chose to remain anonymous collecting their prize.

The first ever Set for Life jackpots were won in a Super Chance special draw in May. The Super Chance draw shortened the odds of winning the jackpot by offering it as a prize for matching just five main numbers as well as for matching five and the Life Ball. Super Chance draws would happen until the jackpot was won at least once - but two players succeeded in matching five main numbers in the very first special draw.

Set for Life Jackpot Prize Cap

Set for Life’s jackpot is unlike other lottery jackpots, in that its top prize is an annuity - meaning it is paid in instalments, as opposed to a lump sum. But this isn’t the only way the prize differs from those of other lotteries; the annuity prize is also fixed, meaning that each winner receives £10,000 a month for 30 years, rather than sharing it between them. 

There are, however, circumstances in which the jackpot could be shared. In the unlikely event that more than £16 million would be needed to pay jackpot prizes in a single draw - for example, if more than five people won the Set for Life jackpot -  prize capping would come into play. The £16 million would then be divided equally between winners, with the option to receive the money as either a lump sum or an annuity.

Published: Tuesday 30th July 2019

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