A SYNDICATE of 15 work colleagues have scooped �1 million in the special EuroMillions Millionaire Raffle.

The group won one of the 18 guaranteed �1 million prizes in the special draw, after only setting up their syndicate three weeks ago.

The group all work together in the Western Europe team at BAT, based in central London.

Syndicate leader Sam Ball, who is from Bishop’s Stortford, revealed that they all thought they would just give it a go.

“It was basically a bit of fun, we thought we’d just see if we could win something,” she said.

The syndicate decided to play EuroMillions and Lotto across the next eight weeks and Sam placed their lines in the draws online. Each syndicate member has won �66,666.66 in the Millionaire Raffle draw, but their luck hasn’t stopped there.

“We won another �2.70 in that draw, �10 in the Lotto draw the day after and had already won 12.80 and a couple of �2.60’s on another EuroMillions draw,” added Sam.

“I couldn’t believe it when I logged onto our National Lottery online account the day after the draw – there was this huge amount just sat there on screen. I quickly called Camelot to confirm it as I really didn’t believe we had won so much.

“I then spent around three hours calling all of the syndicate to tell them the good news. I spent most of the time trying to convince them it was real, they all wanted to know if I had checked it properly. Telling everyone has really been the best part.”

Sam intends on using the money for a deposit on a house but the spending plans vary across the syndicate.

“It will make such a difference to me, but there are people who are pregnant or engaged - the win is really going to help in lots of ways. To be honest I think some still don’t believe it.”

The syndicate were one of 18 winners to win a life-changing �1m prize overnight in the special EuroMillions Millionaire Raffle draw on November 25. So far 14 of the lucky ticket-holders have come forward to claim their prize. The draw marked the beginning of The National Lottery’s Millionaires Month where 50 millionaires will be created in the run up to Christmas.

Following this special Millionaire Raffle draw, guaranteed millionaires will continue to be made each Tuesday and Friday until December 23, when an amazing 25 players will win the best Christmas present ever.