National Lottery winner scoops £100k scratchcard jackpot just moments after undergoing surgery

While sitting in the hospital waiting room before his operation, Mr Fossey admitted he had been feeling anxious about the coming months, uncertain how the family would cope financially with his work on hold.

However, when he spotted the scratchcard, as a fan of the ITV gameshow, he purchased the ticket and emerged a winner.

He said: "I was nervous about how we were going to manage.

Following his successful procedure, Mr Fossey stopped at a shop nearby where a particular scratchcard immediately caught his attention.

"It felt like fate," he explained, noting that his family are devoted fans of the television programme, watching it every evening and even creating their own homemade version before purchasing the official board game to enjoy over Christmas.

Mr Fossey lives in Somerset with his partner Kellie, who operates her own cleaning business, and their young son.

The family has described the prize as arriving at the "perfect time," enabling them to pursue their dream of purchasing a new home.

"After months of worry, this feels like the fresh start we really needed," Fossey said. "The win has opened so many doors for us, and we can't wait to look inside them."

Kellie expressed her disbelief at their good fortune: "We still can't believe it.

"We've been huge fans of the show for years and now we've had our very own winning moment! We now have lots of time to go house hunting and begin the next chapter of our lives."

Andy Carter, Senior Winners Advisor at Allwyn, which operates The National Lottery, commented on the remarkable coincidence of the family's passion for the programme and their prize.

"With Jack and his family being such big Deal or No Deal fans, for them to win this incredible prize on the Scratchcard feels incredibly fitting," Mr Carter said.

"We're thrilled for them, and this win will undoubtedly help make 2026 a much brighter year."

The Deal or No Deal Scratchcard, licensed from Scientific Games, LLC, retails at £5 and offers players odds of 1 in 3.49 of securing a prize.