Lottery Winners Holiday at Home
06 Oct 2006

If you thought winning the lottery would be a ticket to see the world, think again.

Jackpot winners of the UK's National Lottery are just as likely to take a holiday in Britain as they are to jet off to the Caribbean, according to a survey published by lottery operator Camelot yesterday.

Nottingham University interviewed 34 jackpot winners who had each scooped more than £1 million (Dh6.9 million) to discover how they had had spent their money.

And rather than choosing far-flung climes, UK and European destinations remained popular, with all the winners having taken a holiday in Britain after they had landed the jackpot.

"Winners may shell out on a new home and more holidays, but the majority aren't snapping up penthouses in the capital and cruising in the Bahamas," said Richard Tunney, psychology lecturer at the University of Nottingham.

"Instead they're sticking to their roots, investing in property close to their original home and even keeping their holidays low-key," added Tunney. "One pair who had hit the jackpot still took regular trips to their caravan in Ironbridge in the Midlands."

Since the lottery was set up in 1994, more than 1,900 winners have become millionaires.