Two men have so far been denied their £4 million scratchcard win as it is feared it was purchased with a stolen debit card.
36-year-old Mark Goodram and 31-year-old Jon-Ross Watson from Bolton have been celebrating their win in London after scooping the prize with a £4 Million Red scratchcard which cost £10.
When they contacted Lotto officials the pair revealed that neither of them has a bank account, leaving operators Camelot suspicious as the scratchcard was purchased with a debit card.
As reported by The Sun, when Camelot asked Goodram and Watson who the card belonged to, they named a friend called ‘John’ but were unable to provide a surname, phone number or address for him, saying he had disappeared ‘up north’.
Although Camelot decided to put the payout on hold, the pair celebrated anyway with endless champagne and cocktails.
Goodram, who has 22 convictions for 45 criminal offences, told the news outlet:
I’m off to see the Queen. This is brilliant. I deserved a bit of a break. We’re made for life.
I can’t wait to spend the lot. I’m going to buy luxury properties and look after myself.
Watson, who has convictions for burglary, meanwhile said:
I’m off on a Caribbean cruise, then to Las Vegas. But I need a passport first. Mark and me have been mates since we were little. This win’s unbelievable but we deserve the money fair and square. We were screaming in the street.
We’ve told family and friends about our win but no one believes us.
He added the unemployed pair spent the last of their money on the celebrations, awaiting the payout.
Goodram and Watson told Camelot they purchased the scratchcard at Waitrose in Clapham, South London, at 10.39am on Easter Monday (April 22).
While Camelot officials are confident the scratchcard is genuine, they have not yet paid out and have refused to confirm or deny the win.
An insider explained it is thought they purchased the winning card by using contactless payment:
It’s possible to buy scratchcards using contactless payment, with the purchaser not required to provide identification.
The pair claim they have no knowledge in regards to a stolen debit card being used for the scratchcard purchase, adding they ‘deserve the money fair and square’.
It is understood Goodram was released from jail on police licence only days before the big win.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to stories@unilad.co.uk.
