A group of 15 retired Welsh steelworkers have scooped a whopping £1million EuroMillions prize to share amongst themselves and make the most of their retirement.
The former office workers, who left Tata Steel in Port Talbot, maintained their bond through a weekly lottery syndicate, and struck lucky on February 27 after matching the millionaire maker code.
Their collective efforts to scoop a big win began seven years ago, as a "light-hearted way to lift spirits" during grueling 14-hour shifts at the factory.
Even after retirement, the group continued pooling £5 each per week through the National Lottery app, keeping their workplace connection alive through shared hopes of a lucky shot.
Paul Davy, the 61-year-old who organised the syndicate and kept former colleagues connected, was reviewing Saturday's results when an unexpected notification appeared on his screen.
"I couldn't believe it - a message just popped up on the app," he told Wales Online, "I was checking Saturday's draw when a message flashed up.
"I thought it must be an error - but then I saw the winning millionaire maker code."
The confirmation that the group had matched the code from the Friday draw transformed initial disbelief into celebration, with each of the 15 members set to receive their share of the million-pound windfall.
The retired steelworkers won big on the National Lottery
|PA
Among those celebrating the score are Port Talbot residents Gill Furlong, Christine Davies, Sally Wise, Julie Lambert, Allan Evans, Ian Howells, and Raja Prasad.
The syndicate members have various plans for their share of the prize money, including clearing mortgage debts, purchasing new vehicles, installing a dream kitchen, and supporting relatives and friends.
Mr Davy has his sights set on a Mediterranean voyage.
"Me and my partner went on a cruise a couple of years ago," he said.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
"She was really nervous about it at first as she doesn't like boats, but it turns out we absolutely loved it, so another cruise is definitely on the cards, perhaps around the Mediterranean this time".
Beyond the financial rewards, the lottery triumph has given the former colleagues something equally valuable: a reason to gather as a complete group once more.
Mr Davy described the win as "the perfect excuse to celebrate together properly".
Although a small number of syndicate members still get together occasionally for "a game of pool and a beer," hectic schedules have meant the entire group has not assembled in years.
The shared victory now offers these retired steelworkers the chance to reconnect properly, turning their weekly flutter into an unexpected reunion as well as a life-changing payday.
Very soon, National Lottery players will have more chances than ever to win big, as fresh draw games could arrive within weeks following the completion of a massive £450million technological overhaul.
Allwym, National Lottery operator, confirmed that new game launches are imminent after finishing what it described as a major IT transformation.
This extensive project involved migrating 18 million player accounts and over three billion historical transactions to updated platforms, whilst also upgrading systems used by retail partners.
Players experienced a roughly 24-hour outage in January when the website and app were taken offline to facilitate the upgrade work.
Andria Vidler, chief executive of Allwyn UK, said: "We are delighted to have delivered growth to the National Lottery while successfully completing the largest international upgrade in lottery history.
"This is a hugely exciting time for the National Lottery and its players, as these much-needed upgrades now allow us to launch new games and products, meaning we can generate more money than ever before for good causes".