British couple loses £182M EuroMillions jackpot over a failed bank payment
A British couple narrowly missed out on a life-changing £182 million EuroMillions jackpot due to a simple banking error. Rachel Kennedy and Liam McCrohan had matched all the winning numbers, but their ticket was never valid—because the payment failed to go through.
Kennedy had played the same set of numbers—6, 12, 22, 29, 33, plus Lucky Stars 6 and 11—every week for years. She relied on an automatic purchase through her lottery app, assuming the transaction would process as usual. But when the draw took place, her account lacked sufficient funds, leaving the ticket unpaid and the win unclaimed.
The couple only discovered their near-win when checking their usual numbers online. Despite matching every digit, lottery rules meant they had no claim to the prize. Meanwhile, another player, Tayla Octave, came close to winning £178 million in a separate draw but missed by one digit in each number. Elsewhere, a $1.8 billion Powerball ticket in the US remains unclaimed, adding to the string of missed fortunes. Kennedy and McCrohan, now wary of their old numbers, have switched to a new set—calling their previous choices unlucky.
The incident highlights how easily a technical oversight can cost a fortune. Kennedy and McCrohan continue playing the lottery, but their original numbers are now abandoned. The EuroMillions jackpot they almost won remains unclaimed by any verified ticket holder.
