Mr Potter Lottery Win - Devon Gazette

Bill's lotto millions intrigue village

devon.editorial@archant.co.uk

05 October 2005

RUMOURS that someone had struck it rich on the lottery have been sweeping a North Devon village.

And this week, a 60-year-old man from Combe Martin told the G&A that he scooped £11.7 million on the Spanish lottery last month.

Bill Potter said he planned to use some of the windfall to visit the home of Elvis Presley in America and take some friends to watch England play cricket in Australia.

The rumour mill started working overtime when Mr Potter was spotted being driven away in a chauffeur-driven Mercedes.

This week, he confirmed the rumours were true, but declined to be photographed, saying he wanted to keep a low profile.

He said he could still hardly believe his luck and was
taking stock of his life-changing good fortune.

The retired villager told the G&A how he was whisked off
to Vancouver in Canada to collect his prize from the offices of the European Lottery Guild, the company which enters
its members in national lotteries around the world.

"When I heard of it I thought it was a hoax," admitted Bill, who is Combe Martin born-and-bred.

"But the vice-president of the firm phoned me to say it
was perfectly true and it was arranged for me to fly over and get it.

"It was business class all the way through - a limousine, champagne, flowers and greetings. They took me to an hotel where I was given a banquet, then it was off to their offices where there was a big party with 500 workers who all had the day off to be there."

Incredibly, Bill - who had to give up work after suffering from osteoarthritis - said it was his second win, but his
first was shared with a 200-strong syndicate. This time he scooped the lot - 17,391, 507 Euros

Bill showed off a wooden plaque with which he was presented in Vancouver.

The inscription reads: "In honour of our largest lottery winner with the European Lottery Guild" and stated his
prize money as well as a dedication renaming the company training centre where its agents learn their trade as "The William J Potter Training Centre."

He said he was conducted on a tour through some of the best sights in British Columbia and was the centre of a two day-long media frenzy. Now back home, he said the
money was safely deposited in the bank and asked that people in North Devon respect his privacy and refrain from sending "begging letters" or calling at his home.

A spokesman for European Lottery Guild's marketing arm yesterday confirmed Mr Potter's win, saying: "We have winners all the time, but this could not have happened to
a nicer man.



		Bill's lotto millions intrigue village devon.editorial@archant.co.uk 05 October 2005 RUMOURS that someone had struck it rich on the lottery have been sweeping a North Devon village. And this week, a 60-year-old man from Combe Martin told the G&A that he scooped £11.7 million on the Spanish lottery last month. Bill Potter said he planned to use some of the windfall to visit the home of Elvis Presley in America and take some friends to watch England play cricket in Australia. The rumour mill started working overtime when Mr Potter was spotted being driven away in a chauffeur-driven Mercedes. This week, he confirmed the rumours were true, but declined to be photographed, saying he wanted to keep a low profile. He said he could still hardly believe his luck and was taking stock of his life-changing good fortune. The retired villager told the G&A how he was whisked off to Vancouver in Canada to collect his prize from the offices of the European Lottery Guild, the company which enters its members in national lotteries around the world. "When I heard of it I thought it was a hoax," admitted Bill, who is Combe Martin born-and-bred. "But the vice-president of the firm phoned me to say it was perfectly true and it was arranged for me to fly over and get it. "It was business class all the way through - a limousine, champagne, flowers and greetings. They took me to an hotel where I was given a banquet, then it was off to their offices where there was a big party with 500 workers who all had the day off to be there." Incredibly, Bill - who had to give up work after suffering from osteoarthritis - said it was his second win, but his first was shared with a 200-strong syndicate. This time he scooped the lot - 17,391, 507 Euros Bill showed off a wooden plaque with which he was presented in Vancouver. The inscription reads: "In honour of our largest lottery winner with the European Lottery Guild" and stated his prize money as well as a dedication renaming the company training centre where its agents learn their trade as "The William J Potter Training Centre." He said he was conducted on a tour through some of the best sights in British Columbia and was the centre of a two day-long media frenzy. Now back home, he said the money was safely deposited in the bank and asked that people in North Devon respect his privacy and refrain from sending "begging letters" or calling at his home. A spokesman for European Lottery Guild's marketing arm yesterday confirmed Mr Potter's win, saying: "We have winners all the time, but this could not have happened to a nicer man.