Dad almost missed winning £2m West Country home because he 'fancied a pint' at the pub

A fortunate father nearly missed out on winning a £2m home because he was tempted to go for a pint at the pub. Tom Steenson, 63, was about to head out when there was a knock at the door informing him that he had won a four-bedroom house and £250K in cash.

Initially, he considered not answering, fearing it might "interfere with my trip to the pub''. Tom, originally from Bolton but now living in Maidstone, did open the door and discovered he'd won the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw in Devon. He said ''missing that pint made me a millionaire - it’s the best pint I’ve never had! ".

Now, he is the proud owner of a modern, four-bedroom house near the scenic coastal town of Exmouth. The property boasts a heated swimming pool and stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and coastline.

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His new home comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered. In addition, he also bagged a whopping £250,000 in cash to help him settle in.

He has the option to live in the house, rent it out for additional income, or sell it whenever he wishes to become a cash multi-millionaire. If he chooses to rent it out, local estate agents estimate that the property could fetch a long-term rental value of between £6,000 to £7,000 per month.

Tom, who purchased his multi-million-pound winning entry for just £20 as part of his Omaze subscription, was on his way to the pub when Omaze first knocked on his door to tell him he’d won a prize. His wife of 35 years, Carole, 58, answered the door.

Tom was on his way to enjoy a Friday pint with friends when he received an unexpected call from his wife, informing him that the Omaze team were at their door. He joked, "Obviously I always answer when my wife calls and thank goodness I do! Missing that pint made me a millionaire - it’s the best pint I’ve never had! "

Recounting the day's events, he said: “It was just another Friday really. I was off to get a haircut and then planned to go straight to the pub for an end of the week beer with pals, so I was out when Omaze came knocking.

Tom's wife initially mistook the Omaze team for the police, humorously questioning, "My wife answered and was sceptical at first, she initially thought the Omaze team were the police! She was joking, what's he done now! ? "

She rang Tom to alert him about the visitors, and he admitted, "She called me to say Omaze were at our house, but I very nearly ignored it as I thought it might interfere with my trip to the pub! " Fortunately, he picked up the phone, "Obviously, I always answer when my wife calls, and thank goodness I do as it really paid off this time! " The couple was unsure of the prize at first, with Tom asking if it was the house, to which his wife responded skeptically.

"We didn’t know what I’d won at that point, so I asked her if it was the house, and she said I shouldn’t have thought so, neither of us expected it really."

The celebration included champagne and a Chinese takeaway, with Tom noting, "Our daughter came over and we celebrated with a couple of bottles of champagne and a big Chinese takeaway! For once the fortune cookies were correct! " Reflecting on his new property, he remarked, "The house is just magnificent, it looks like something out of a film! It’s not unfair to say it’s a bit nicer than where we currently live! ".

Enamoured with their spacious new residence, the couple can't wait to host people: "We love the house, there's loads of space for all our friends and family to come and stay."

Upon seeing the pool, he added: "The pool looks great! It’s a bit nippy today but if I had my trunks I'd definitely be tempted to dive in! " They are also struck by Devon's charms, as he said: "Devon is beautiful, we love being in the countryside and by the sea. Waking up to these rolling hills and sea views will never get dull."

Discussing the support received during challenging times, the winner said: "The charity means a lot to me personally, I’ve had issues with my mental health over the years - I was struggling in 2019, it was a really tough time, but support networks like CALM helped me through a really dark time. I can’t believe where I am today, it’s one hell of a turnaround from then to now! "

Expressing gratitude towards Omaze's support for mental health, he remarked: “I’m so happy Omaze has raised so much money for CALM - it’s such an important charity.”

On his big win: “This win means we’ll never have to worry about money ever again - it’s a dream come true. I could retire early, but my boss doesn’t have to worry as I’ll keep working for a while yet, I like to stay busy.

He's also excited for the grandchildren to visit: "Our grandkids are going to love this place, they’ve already planned a big pool party."

Finally, reflecting on family overseas, he said: "Our son lives in Australia and if this place doesn’t get him back for Christmas, nothing will! We can fly him over now of course - maybe business class if he plays his cards right! ".

"We’ll definitely enjoy the house for a bit, but we’ll most likely sell it, maybe next year, as the money we’ll get is life-changing for the entire family."

"Thanks to £250k we’ve pocketed as part of the win, we could afford to stay here for ten years if we wanted to. Selling and banking the cash would enable us to help all our children and grandchildren - it's a generational legacy for our family. We could help our kids get on the property ladder now - it’s all very exciting! " Tom and Carole have resided in their current 2-bedroom house in Maidstone since 2021. They are parents to a son and daughter and grandparents to two.

Their family also includes a Cocker Spaniel named Dazzle. Tom has spent 38 years working in training and development for the motor industry.

Their new home is a stunning example of modern architecture, meticulously designed to highlight the surrounding landscape. Full-height windows span the length of the property, offering awe-inspiring views of the Devonshire countryside from nearly every room and allowing natural light to flood the home.

The 4,200 square feet property blends elegant styling with high-quality, bespoke fittings and modern conveniences. It boasts sleek architectural lines and an open-concept design that effortlessly integrates indoor and outdoor living.

The property boasts a striking atrium with an overhead skylight, creating a wonderful sense of space and light. The heart of the home is the double-height sitting and dining room, complete with a galleried landing above and sliding glass doors below that open onto the meticulously maintained rear gardens.

The spacious kitchen and breakfast room also feature sliding glass doors to the gardens and include a large central island with a breakfast bar and Corian worktops, stylish fitted units and integrated Siemens appliances. The ground floor offers a large open plan lounge and dining area for Tom to entertain or unwind in, along with a study overlooking the gardens.

Upstairs, the expansive landing provides a seating area leading off into three beautifully appointed double bedrooms. These include the generous main bedroom, equipped with a dressing room and en suite bathroom.

The first floor also features a family bathroom with a separate walk-in shower. Adjacent to the main house is a charming guest annexe, complete with a self-contained kitchenette and en suite.

The southeast-facing garden at the rear includes an elevated terrace, swimming pool, a lawn area and sweeping views across the surrounding fields and out to sea. In addition to making Tom a multi-millionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Devon, raised £3.5 million for Campaign Against Living Miserably - CALM.

Every 90 minutes, someone in the UK dies by suicide. It’s now the leading cause of death for young people and men under 50.

CALM's services are in higher demand than ever before, with their suicide prevention helpline receiving a call every 59 seconds. The charity acknowledges the constant challenge of managing such a high volume of calls.

The funds raised from their partnership with Omaze represent the largest single donation in the charity’s history and will make a significant difference. These funds will be directed towards CALM's suicide prevention services, including their life-saving helpline, helping more people find hope and reasons to stay alive, thus keeping more families and loved ones together.

The Omaze partnership was backed by comedian and CALM Patron, Romesh Ranganathan, who was delighted with the "unbelievable" amount raised.

Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM said; “We knew this partnership with Omaze would be game-changing for us, but this is way beyond what we imagined. £3.5 million is an unbelievable, life-saving amount and could mean we’re able to safeguard our suicide prevention helpline for the next 2 years and save so many lives in the process.

''At a time when our services have never been needed more, this money will be vital in ensuring people get the support they need to end their misery, not their lives.

“So, a massive thank you from everyone at Campaign Against Living Miserably! Every single person who entered the draw has helped us raise this incredible amount."

James Oakes, Chief International Officer at Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is thrilled that Tom has won this special house in Devon, whilst also contributing to the £3.5 million raised for CALM, a charity that means a lot to him.

“Omaze offers people the chance to win amazing houses, like this incredible house in Devon, 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 £63 million for good causes across the UK.”

Draw entries for the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw, on the Wirral, are available now at omaze.co.uk. The Draw closes on Sunday 24th November for online entries and Tuesday 26th November 2024 for postal entries.

Entrants can also choose to subscribe to Omaze to be automatically entered into every Grand Prize Draw each month. Omaze subscribers receive at least four times the number of entries compared to non-subscribers and can cancel their subscription at any time.

For full terms and conditions, see www.omaze.co.uk. No purchase necessary to enter. Over 18s and UK residents only.