A dad who says the best thing he’d ever won was a packet of cakes in a pub quiz has scooped a £3,500,000 house in a raffle.
Dad Will Satherley, from Cardiff, won the incredible Cotswolds property after buying an Omaze Million Pound House Draw ticket for £35.
The property is a four-bedroom countryside retreat complete with 10m heated swimming pool, located just outside the idyllic village of Chipping Campden.
As part of the prize, 40-year-old Will has also been given £100,000 in cash. Plus, the house comes mortgage free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered.
He is free to either live in the house, rent it out or sell it. If he decides to let it out, local estate agents estimate that he could achieve up to £10,000 a month in rental income.
Will has worked as a financial risk analyst in Cardiff for 13 years, while his wife Carrie, 40, also works in finance for the Welsh Government. The couple have two sons, aged four and seven.
Explaining the moment he found out about the win, Will said: ‘I’d been working in the garden and was covered in wood chippings when I saw a couple of missed calls.
‘I almost ignored them, I’m glad I didn’t as it was Omaze calling to let me know I’d won a prize.
‘When the team arrived I couldn’t comprehend that I’d actually won the Grand Prize, it was so surreal, my wife and I work in finance so it’s fair to say we’re not used to this level of excitement!’
The family were so in shock they didn’t know how best to celebrate, so they had a few friends over and shared a takeaway pizza and a few bottles of fizz.
‘That night I kept checking my emails to make sure I hadn’t imagined the whole thing, in the end I couldn’t really sleep so I went back out to finish the gardening at 4am,’ said Will. ‘The neighbours must’ve wondered what I was up to!’
Not only did they nab an incredible new home, the next day Will received an email informing him that he’d also won a £10 gift voucher in the charity draw.
‘I thought I must be the luckiest man in Wales,’ he added.
The Cotswolds is a favourite holiday destination for the family, but they’d struggled to find accommodation during the busy summer months – a problem they won’t have now.
Will added: ‘Winning this house is a dream come true, we both work in finance, but you don’t have to be good with numbers to know that £35 to £3,500,000 is a pretty good return!
‘The best thing we’d ever won as a family before this was six fairy cakes in a pub quiz in Machynlleth North Wales, this definitely tops that – it’s a life changing win for all our family.’
The dad-of-two is running the Cardiff half marathon for the NSPCC in October, so he sees it as an extra bonus that Omaze raised £2,150,000 for the charity through the raffle.
Additionally, Will is now able to train for the run in his very own home gym, or head outside jogging with a stunning rural backdrop.
His new 4,250 sq ft property has been contextually designed to sit comfortably in the surrounding landscape, and built using local Cotswolds stone.
A combination of traditional Cotswold architecture has been blended with striking contemporary elements that links the past and the present.
Floor-to-ceiling windows provide the property with a feeling of openness, with glass doors framing views over the gardens.
At the heart of the house is an open plan kitchen and dining room – featuring Siematic units and Silestone worktops – that provides a sociable hub for modern family life.
The layout additionally incorporates a comprehensive range of Siemens appliances, including two ovens, a microwave, coffee machine, two plate warmers, a dishwasher, and an integrated fridge and freezer.
James Oakes from Omaze, said: ‘We’re delighted that Will and his lovely family have won their dream home in the Cotswolds – whilst contributing towards our biggest ever raise of £2,150,000 for NSPCC in the process – a charity that is close to his heart.’
Earlier this year, a builder won a £3,000,000 London townhouse with Omaze, describing it as ‘truly life changing.’
However, not all house raffles are created equal, and regulatory bodies including the Advertising Standards Authority and the Gambling Commission have investigated numerous companies offering such draws.
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