Ian Roberts, 66, has scooped the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw, winning a £4.5m home plus £500,000 in cash
Ian Roberts, 66, has scooped the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw, winning a £4.5m home plus £500,000 in cash
A grandad has landed a stunning £4.5m property through a prize draw — leaving his wife gobsmacked as she had no clue he had even taken part. Ian Roberts, 66, has claimed the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw prize in Yorkshire. The spectacular estate boasts a boating lake, swimming pool, tennis court and equestrian facilities. Ian describes his windfall as his “very own Downton Abbey”.
His newly acquired estate sprawls across 16 acres of manicured gardens and sweeping paddocks, offering breathtaking views stretching across the Vale of Mowbray towards the Yorkshire Moors. The lavish property arrives completely mortgage-free, with stamp duty and all legal costs taken care of.
Ian has also received £500,000 in cash to assist with settling into his new surroundings, and retains complete flexibility to either reside in the property, lease it for additional income, or put it on the market. Property experts in the area suggest the estate could command a long-term rental figure of approximately £10,000 a month.
Ian, who secured his £4.5m prize with a £25 entry through his Omaze subscription, stepped away from work following over three decades in the capital.
He and his wife Viv, also 66, have recently relocated to Warwickshire after spending nearly four decades living in London. The couple are parents to three children in their mid-thirties and doting grandparents to three grandchildren aged five and below.
When Omaze initially contacted Ian with news of his prize, he nearly missed the life-changing call as he and Viv were “busy chopping carrots” while preparing an evening meal for guests. Moments later, the Omaze team turned up at his doorstep to announce the life-changing win.
Ian said: “When I got the call, the last thing on my mind was winning a spectacular six-bedroom house, our main focus was just on cooking dinner for our friends. We almost didn’t pick up as we were in the middle of chopping carrots.
“When I answered, the person on the other end of the line said I’d won an Omaze prize, I thought they were having me on!
“When I opened the door and saw the cameras, I thought maybe the best case scenario could be a car or a cash prize.
“Then the next thing we knew, I’m the owner of an amazing mansion in Yorkshire. We were completely bowled over, just in total disbelief. I’m not sure it will ever sink in.
“My wife didn’t even know I’d entered, so she was doubly surprised! We told the immediate family, all 14 of them!
”They couldn’t believe it either, they were all convinced we were winding them up.
“I never imagined a £25 ticket would turn into this. I’ve entered things my whole life and the only thing we’d ever won before was two tickets to a concert that ended up being cancelled anyway! “I can’t get my head around the fact I’ve won something so special – it’s like our very own Downton Abbey.
“Everything about this house is special, even the pool house looks more like an actual house, it’s almost as big as our first flat! Now we have our own tennis court, I suppose I should probably work on my serve!”
On the impact for his family he said: “Our grandchildren will love exploring and having adventures here, it will be one giant playground for them – although we might need walkie talkies to keep track of them.
“To be honest, I was already having a good week as Arsenal had just beaten Spurs – and then Omaze came knocking. So, a great few days, but winning the house definitely tops it.
“We love big family gatherings, and now we’ve got the perfect house to bring everyone together. It’s our 40th wedding anniversary next year, and I think we’ve found the perfect venue for a party.
“Long term we don’t know what we’ll do yet, but we’re definitely going to enjoy this incredible place as a family before we make any decisions. We’re very excited, whatever we decide to do, it will have a massive impact on our lives.
“The £500,000 means if we wanted to, we could actually afford to stay here for years, it’s fantastic to have that option.”
He added: “I’m so proud to be part of the Omaze Community that raised so much for Refuge.”
Beyond Ian’s life-changing property win, Omaze has joined forces with Refuge, Britain’s leading domestic abuse charity, which provides vital support to survivors through emergency accommodation, community-based services and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.
The guaranteed £1m contribution from the Omaze Community will enable Refuge to deliver additional standalone safe accommodation and expert assistance for women and children fleeing abuse, allowing more families to start afresh without living in fear.
Comedian and Refuge Supporter Sara Pascoe championed the campaign. Sara said: “What an incredible result. Thanks to the fabulous Omaze community, Refuge will receive a guaranteed £1 million to help provide more safe, accessible accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse.
“This funding will go towards providing self-contained homes for those who aren’t able to access communal refuges, including those with disabilities, larger families, older sons, or much-loved pets, and could help as many as 60 families over the next five years.”
