An Angus man has paid off his mortgage after winning a high-value car in a competition which cost him just £5 to enter.
Michael Anderson, 36, won the Ford Focus RS500, which can fetch up to £70,000 due to its rarity.
Michael, a technical document controller, was over the moon to win the Bounty Competitions contest, and immediately sold the car to a motor enthusiast, using the cash to pay off the mortgage on his Brechin home.
He did not provide an exact sale price, but said it was “around £65,000”.
He said: “I’ve been entering the competitions since about November 2020 after seeing a fellow Brechiner win a few times in the space of a few weeks.
“I’ve won a pizza oven, iPhone 12 and Samsung phone from them before.”
Michael said he doesn’t enter every competition the company runs and he wasn’t feeling particularly positive prior to the draw.
‘I wasn’t feeling lucky prior to draw’
He said: “It was worth a shot, I definitely wasn’t feeling lucky when I bought the ticket as new year plans had been cancelled.
“Strangely, on the draw day, I thought I had better shave in case they video call so must have had an inclination.”
Michael was told the odds of him winning were 20,000 to one.
He added: “A family member put me in touch with a huge Ford fan and collector who agreed to meet me as it was being delivered.
“Of course, I would have liked a few thousand more but I know it’s going to a good home and it’s not really about the money for him.
‘I still can’t believe it’
“I still can’t believe I won it.
“My mortgage is very manageable, but this will save me about £20,000 in interest payments. I only purchased the house three years ago.
“Once I’ve paid the mortgage, more of my wages can go on Scotland football away trips.
“If I had a secure place to store it I would have considered keeping it, and it was very conflicting whether I should keep it once I’d seen it in the flesh.
“It was dark when delivered and the new owner has said he’ll invite me to see it properly some time.
“I probably won’t get to drive it but who knows – fingers crossed.
“It sounded ace as they turned it around to put it in the trailer, so it was definitely a tempting car to keep.”
‘Life-changing prizes’
Michael, a huge Brechin City fan, added: “I’m waiting to win the EuroMillions before turning Brechin City into a powerhouse of Scottish football.
“I’d like to give a big thank you to Calvin, Leanne and the rest of their family at Bounty Competitions who have worked hard to be able to give away these life-changing prizes, and a special thanks to LM Autos for delivering the car.”
Leanne Davidson, who runs Bounty Competitions with husband Calvin, said: “We’ve given away some huge prizes recently, including a house worth more than £300,000.
“Congratulations to Michael for his win, it’s an amazing feeling to be able to change people’s lives like this.”
