25-year-old Cambridgeshire man stunned to win £5m Cotswolds mansion and £250,000 in Omaze prize draw
A 25-year-old from Cambridgeshire has won a 17th-century house in the Cotswolds worth more than £5million - and £250,000 in cash - after spending £25 on the Omaze Million Pound House Draw.
Anthony Martin was astonished to discover he had become the second youngest winner of the prize draw - and was now the owner of an incredible mansion, complete with a heated outdoor pool and separate two-bedroom stone cottage guesthouse.
The five-bedroom house, surrounded by stunning countryside, comes with period features and £180,000 worth of furnishings.
A stunned Anthony, who was born in Asia but has been living with his family in Cambridgeshire, said: “I was backpacking in Spain when Omaze got in touch to tell me I’d won something.
“I didn’t have any credit on my phone, so I didn't see any of the missed calls or emails at first, but when I eventually topped up and saw all the messages, I started to think I might have won something pretty decent.
“When Omaze actually called me to say I’d won the £5million house in the Cotswolds, I was stunned. That's not a call you get everyday, I just couldn’t believe it, I was in total shock. I had to call them back to make sure it was real!
“One minute I’m staying in a hostel, in a 15-bed dorm, then the next thing I know I’m a multimillionaire - that was an unexpected upgrade for sure.
“I had a couple of beers to celebrate, but nothing too wild as I had to be up early - not that it made much difference as I probably only slept for 20 minutes, my mind was whirring trying to process what had just happened.”
He bought his £5million winning entry for £25 as part of his Omaze subscription, which he only started last month.
The house comes mortgage-free and with legal fees covered. But if Anthony chooses to rent out the property, local estate agents estimate it could achieve a long-term rental value of between £13,000 and £18,000 per month.
Anthony has been working as a deckhand on yachts for the past year and is “more used to sleeping below deck in cramped bunk beds, rather than mansions”.
He said: “This is my first time in the Cotswolds and I can see what all the fuss is about, it's beautiful around here.The house is stunning. The walk-in fridge is bigger than my current kitchen… and that's just the fridge! Everything has been done so nicely, I love it.
“I’m looking forward to diving into the pool and hosting all my friends and family in such an amazing house.”
“I’ve been watching Clarkson’s Farm and I can’t believe [Jeremy Clarkson’s] going to be my neighbour now, it's just crazy.
“At 25 I hadn’t even considered owning so much as a garden shed yet, but now my first property is a £5million house - it’s so surreal.
“We’ll be having a huge family Christmas here. There are around 20 of us and I’m normally the one who ends up sleeping on the floor, but now I’m guaranteed a bed as I’ll be hosting everyone else for change!”
He added: “Thanks to the £250,000 I also get as part of the win, I could afford to stay here for years if I wanted to.
“I don’t know what I'll do yet, I’ve got a lot to think about, but this win has changed my life forever - my future is sorted now, whatever I decide to do, it's an incredible feeling.”
The house boasts landscaped gardens and a small footbridge leads across a stream to a private wildflower meadow and tranquil lake. A secluded garden to the side of the main house features a Roman well and original well house.
The draw raised £4.2million for Omaze’s charity partner Guide Dogs.
Andrew Lennox, CEO at Guide Dogs said: “Every day, 250 people in the UK begin to lose their sight - that’s one person every six minutes. Without the right support, sight loss can be profoundly isolating. Thanks to the generosity of the Omaze community, we can provide life-changing services that empower people with a vision impairment to live the life they choose.
"The money raised will fund 1,350 puppies during their first eight weeks of life and cover the cost of expert care to their mums and dads. It will also fund a year’s worth of food for all 3,200 working guide dogs.”
James Oakes, president of Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is over the moon that Anthony has won this spectacular house in the Cotswolds, whilst also contributing to our huge raise for Guide Dogs.
“Omaze offers people the chance to win amazing houses, whilst also introducing charities to new audiences that they wouldn't normally reach - it’s a real win-win for entrants and our charity partners.
“We’re immensely proud that the Omaze community has now raised over £93million for good causes across the UK.”
