Timothy Schultz:

Welcome to Lottery, Dreams and Fortune. I am very excited to be joined here today with Jake Emery. He won a fantastic prize. He won the UK jackpot millionaire maker just recently in September. Jake, how are you doing today?

Jake Emery:

Yeah, very well, thank you, how are you?

Timothy Schultz:

Good, yeah, thank you so much for taking the time. So you won a bundle worth a massive 1 million pound prize or you had a cash option alternative of 750,000 pounds. But it's just an extraordinary story. I want to dive straight into this. What exactly did you win and how did it happen?

Jake Emery:

So yeah, so Elite Competitions, which is a competition website, is local in Blackpool. So I've been doing it for years, always done that one because you just see them all over the place. And yeah, I didn't specifically go for that draw. I joined this thing called Elite Club where you pay like a monthly subscription. You get so many tickets. And then I get like random tickets here and there and whenever I do a draw so that's why I wasn't watching the live or anything at the time because I didn't even think about it although a lot of stuff was great it wasn't my cup of tea like I'm not really into boats you know so on I've not really thought about that draw that specific draw I am So obviously when they rang me up and it was live and I was like I was very much in shock I didn't really know what to say at all. So yeah, not really thought of it So that's why obviously when I got the option and I took the the cash And because obviously I could do a lot more for me. I thought obviously everything is amazing But for me personally, it was just a bit early. Like, how long could you live like a millionaire for until really you got to start selling the items, you know, to get back to reality. So I thought if I can take the money and, you know do what I kind of have been sensible with it and invest it and then hopefully one day in the future I can buy them kind of toys, you know and it's sustainable really. So that's why I ended up taking the money.

Timothy Schultz:

And so it was $750,000. What was in the million prize package?

Jake Emery:

So you had a VIP trip to the Vegas Formula One. I think you got to go with B for on a jet for like a week or something like four of years. There was a Ferrari F8, which was beautiful. I mean, I got him to take me out on it, but I managed to behave myself and get the money, but I was really debating that because I love cars. There was Camper, brand new Camper VW Camper. That was amazing. G Wagon, I think that was like 200,000 pounds worth. That was something else. Louis Vuitton bags, five watches, and everything you can dream of really. It was amazing. But yeah, like I say, I just thought, how long can you sustain it for really? The money will do a lot more for us. And we needed really, the company was struggling cash flow wise. So it was just the right time really, to be honest. So I think I did the right thing.

Timothy Schultz:

Yeah, did you speak with a financial advisor or anything, or did you just kind of know that?

Jake Emery:

Yeah, I just knew like I knew we was having troubles as it was. And more than anything, I've always had a plan. I've wanted to get into property and so on. I just never had the funds. So, you know, with having the funds, obviously, now, you don't in hopefully a few years, because everything's been invested so far, it'll stop. And I can have all them toys, hopefully one day. And that's what the plan is anyway, still got a lock in and You know, keep my head down for a few years, but that's what the plan is.

Timothy Schultz:

And I want to hear more about your plan and also this, you prayed before it happened. Want to get into that, but before I get into that with the win itself, how did this feel the moment that you found out that you won?

Jake Emery:

I mean I was very much in shock and I couldn't really sleep that night so for hours it took me to get to sleep so that was a nightmare but yeah it was just you just feel like all your worries are gone or at least a big chunk you know because everybody worries about money don't they so yeah it wasn't it was it was amazing and like I say I played I played with Elite for so many years and to finally like I've always said I'm due a win I've video a win and to finally get a win it was like oh thank god. You know everyone that said well you shouldn't be doing that, you shouldn't be doing this, it's like it's paid off now so you know it's gone good finally

Timothy Schultz:

That's amazing. And then you mentioned this in the beginning, but how exactly did you play and then how did they notify you or how did you learn that you won?

Jake Emery:

Yeah, so they'd rang, and like I said, I didn't really know that this draw was going on because I'd not really thought about it. Now, I used to be really invested in the draws and I'd watch them and so on, but then you go from being devastated when somebody else wins and you're like, oh god, I wish I won. So I was just eating tea, my phone kept going and I was eating my dinner so I didn't bother, and then my phone's going again, and my phone is going again. An 0-1-2-5-3 number rang me, which is obviously local to Blackpool, and a friend had texted me saying congratulations, and then my brother texted me, saying congratulations. And I'm like, oh my god, what's going on? And I answered, and they're like, hello, you've won, and I'm what? Yeah, I just, like I said, it was surreal. You know, my heart just went, I didn't really know what to say, like, listening back to it, I'd just sounded stupid, but like I say, you don't know at the time.

Timothy Schultz:

I would, yeah, I bet that was extremely, extremely surreal. And so what happened, what happened next?

Jake Emery:

So I think I went to work the next day and I think then the following day or the day after they showed me everything that was on offer like big boards of everything. I forgot to mention there was a boat like a Mastercraft boat with a mooring for a year at Lake Windermere which is local which is really nice. I had a look at everything and obviously then I made my decision. I got him to take me out in a Ferrari just because I really wanted to go. And then, yeah, I made a decision whether to take the cash or the prize. So everyone's been really, you know, everyone was from a get go. Everyone's just been so accommodating, honestly, like even because I've is a local firm and I've always followed them for years. I even asked for a hoodie and I thought, you know, you've given me seven hundred fifty thousand and I'm still begging for a hoagie hoodie, but, you know, I just I love it. I even used to. Which is sad really but if I was ever working in the area and it's like 20 minutes from my home in Bispen I'd pull up outside and I'd eat my lunch outside there just to see all the cars going in you know like because I just love cars and it sad really but that's just what I used to do just just to try and see all the cars that were raffled and so on so it was great to actually get to the place and meet everybody which you know is really good for me.

Timothy Schultz:

I bet that was like a dream. Did you imagine that this would, could happen? Did you ever visualize or imagine yourself in the situation that you found yourself in?

Jake Emery:

I mean it's always been a dream yeah because I'm a car guy every time there's a car that I've always wanted I'll always you'd probably get more tickets than I should but that's just what I do and the problem is it like until you've actually made it in life even if you had that big chunk of change you're not going to go out and buy a Lamborghini or a Porsche or so on so to win it is you kind of forced it's like oh god I'll it because you've got to as well. If I had a hundred thousand sat there, I'd have to be sensible with it and so on and so yeah, it's always been a dream.

Timothy Schultz You, I read that you split the prize with your friend of 50-50, so how did that come about and what was his reaction?

Jake Emery:

Well obviously he was he was buzzing um i mean even if i didn't he'd be buzzing anyway because we've done everything together like for years since we met each other so no matter why we go into the same place anyway but yeah um we'd said like when we first started like five years ago if any others ever win big you know we'll split it and i'd say everything we've got companies together we have a car together like we've we've always done it anyway And yeah, so obviously, yeah, sending 375,000.

Timothy Schultz:

How did that come to mind after you won, like how quickly did you tell him and what did he say? Are you able to say?

Jake Emery:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I told him instantly. Well, he was actually asleep. So, because he gets up earlier. So he goes to bed, you know, at an early time. And I'd ring him and he's like, what's going on? Why you keep ringing me? I'm like, just one, you no lie. And yeah, it was just madness.

Timothy Schultz:

Wow, and then for a prize like this, a massive prize, you know, when you choose the cash option, 750,000 pounds from this UK jackpot millionaire maker option, how do they pay you?

Jake Emery:

So it was in quite a few amounts but over like i think it was like one or two days they'd had it i think obviously they can only send so much with it being such a big amount but yeah i had it like i'm sure i had it by the weekend it was yeah it was a couple of days it was nothing you know it was great really like it took a while for me to send it to michael because just you know obviously i've never send that kind of amount so it was just a bit of a... So it took a few days for him to get it. So I did have a good bit of money in my bank for a few days. But yeah, I think he got it by the Monday or something. So yeah.

Timothy Schultz:

A wire

Jake Emery:

Yeah, so I had to end up phoning up and getting it wired, yeah. So yeah, everything was in the bank.

Timothy Schultz:

Wow, and for people that are watching or listening outside of the UK, we have a lot of people watching and listening in the UK but for people outside, is this tax free?

Jake Emery:

It is tax-free, yeah, thankfully, yes.

Timothy Schultz:

Yeah, that's amazing. And so I wanna ask about this prayer because this is very interesting, but what are your plans next with this win?

Jake Emery:

Yes, so it helps us out with the cash flow problems that we was having with our company, our electrical and building company, which was good. And then we've invested the rest, we've invest a quarter of a million pound each into a property company, which we did form before with another friend of ours and mortgaged our houses. But because we needed the money for our company the money that we remortgaged, we used for our company so we didn't have the money so we'd had a company but no money to put in it so you know it did it did really come at a good time so and that's we've got four four properties going through at the moment hopefully soon and obviously that'll start our property company and hopefully you know. It's been hard work since I think I've had like one day off since the win you know and everyone's like you should be doing less but no it's it's all about locking in you know, creating a better future really.

Timothy Schultz:

Seems really smart. I want to back up a little bit because a lot of people watching or listening to this are really into stories just like yours, and it's very interesting that before you won, you prayed and then you won. So, what happened?

Jake Emery:

Yeah, so I didn't pray necessarily for this, you know, I didn t know that this is what I wanted but obviously struggling quite a lot financially, personally and then so you stressed all the time and your home life isn't so good and you know everything was just a mess to be honest and I just felt a bit lost, I really didn t really know want to do. Like I say, I'd not really been to church for say 20 years, since maybe I was like 13, 14, I used to go every Sunday, you know, religiously. And then just as I grew up, I never really committed to it anymore. And, and then I was just seeing a lot of, a lot stuff online, you know if it was about verses and so on, and everything was just getting a lot like quite biblical. And yeah, and Mike was telling me about This story that he'd heard about a Mexican family that had been working seven days for so many years and never getting anywhere and his family went to church every Sunday and you know his wife's like, you know, come to church open yourself up to God and so on and he told me that and I don't know why I just hit home a little bit and we've both done seven days but so many and just never got anywhere and my nan goes church every sunday and she was like, I'm struggling, you know, will you drop me off on Sunday and so on. I'm like, yeah, yeah we'll do. So I'm in my work clothes because I work every day as I always do. And I picked my nan up, dropped her off and I said, I might come in, you know, and she's like, no, you're not going to come in. I was like, No, I really might. And I just felt like I wanted to go in. And she's, like, you not going in like that. You look a mess. I'm, like look, it doesn't matter what you wear, it's all the matters about going and so I went there. Strangely enough, it was all about riches like don't don't chase riches and it was so ironic because that's all I've ever done It's like I want to do well. I want a big successful. I not hit home as it was and I didn't really feel like I Don't know. I don't know why I was thinking I was gonna get in a eureka moment or an epiphany or I don't No, I donno. I just I got back. I still felt good for going but I wasn't sure I didn't feel fulfilled I didn't know what went on. So that was on the Sunday and then obviously on the Tuesday I think it was, I won. So I didn't ask for riches or I just needed a bit of guidance but I think obviously this must have been the way of getting some guidance. At least I know MJ should be okay, this new company should create wealth and you know, so yeah, I don't know. I was hoping it was gonna be like a, yes, this is where I'm going. But obviously this came along, which has obviously helped out a great deal, you know, for forever. And it's not just changed my life, like all the lads that work for us, you know, each of the age groups really helped us out.

Timothy Schultz:

That is wonderful. Congratulations again. That is beautiful. Yeah. When you did pray, it sounds like you, the whole, everything was about the not chasing riches. So were you asking, I'm not putting words in your mouth. I'm just curious. Were you asking for guidance and, and help? And then this happen.

Jake Emery:

Yeah well yeah that's it i wasn't really sure i just i wasn't sure whether to carry on you know or just yeah just yeah i just guided and i never once asked for riches because i didn't think that was the answer to my problems um just yeah I just asked for help really I've had it yeah that was yeah i think i just asked the help and obviously this came along two days later so obviously everything happens for a reason doesn't it

Timothy Schultz:

Absolutely. So when this did happen, after you had prayed, how quickly did you correlate the two things or put that together as possibly being related, or what were your thoughts on that?

Jake Emery:

I think more than anything I just, I joked about it because I went to church on the Sunday and then on the Tuesday, obviously Tuesday night I won this and I was like, so it just became my like joke and then a few people are like, well I'm going to go to church now and you know and a couple of people have gone to church since, I mean I don't know if they've won anything but you know it just became my joke and that was kind of how I fell, fell into it really.

Timothy Schultz:

Some people are going to ask, what kind of church was this?

Jake Emery:

It's called St Paul's Church of England Church in Blackpool.

Timothy Schultz:

That's amazing. So do you, I mean, some people watching and listening to this, a lot of people, in fact, especially with this audience, are going to see spiritual meaning in this when. But then, you know, there's always a few people out there that just in life that are not into that or they're skeptical or they think it's a coincidence. But, for you personally, do you attribute this to... A connection with spirit or God?

Jake Emery:

I feel like it's the first time I've kind of asked for help and obviously I've got help. So I would have said so, like it is too much of a coincidence not to be I think personally.

Timothy Schultz:

What advice for anyone watching or listening to this that wins a similar prize, because this can happen to anybody, if anybody watching or listening to these wins a UK jackpot millionaire maker prize in the future, do you have any advice for them? Or something similar

Jake Emery:

I don't know really I mean everybody's different you know like I've always thought like I was speaking to a friend the other day and I always like because when when we dreamed of it and it's like oh what if you win what if you know and you talk about all the cars that you'd buy and so on but when reality hits and it comes it's more about sustaining that like you can have a nice car for now but it's all about sustaining it you know for the future really so I've been quite boring and been sensible with it, hoping that one day in the future I can have a life that I've always wanted. It's hard to advise someone on that, I think that's probably the best thing to do, but you never really know. Some people might have always dreamed to do something, travel the world and so on. You know I don't really know to be honest, what I did, I'm glad I was sensible, it It breaks my heart not having a nice car still but... You know, it'll pay off eventually, in the long run.

Timothy Schultz:

Yeah, well it sounds like you're being very smart and and wise. Yeah. Yeah, so i'm so happy for you and like when you did and if you can summarize what it feels like to have dreamed of this in the metaphorical sense you dreamed you visualized you saw this happening and then it happened like literally in real life that you won this prize Can you summarize that? What does that feel like?

Jake Emery:

It's just surreal, to be honest. Like say, it's just things you dream of. You know, like this is, you know, this could change the whole dynamic of everything. You know? And everybody around me, that's what I'm hoping. Obviously, it is a good sum of money, but it's also, especially this day and age, you know you've got to be sensible with it to carry on for it to be sustainable, really. So, but like I've always wanted to. One day pay my mum's house off or buy my dad a martin escort like he's always wanted like and i could potentially do that with the bit that i have but if i can invest it now and you know in the future then i can do all the things that i've always wanted to do and they've always been a dream also so as well as have my dream house and dream car and so on so that's why i'm knuckling down even though it breaks my heart but you know eventually i think i'll be in the future. Don't know

Timothy Schultz:

Yeah, and you mentioned your mom and other people. How did other people react to the win?

Jake Emery:

Pretty surreal, like everyone just said, be sensible, you know, don't be silly, you know, but every, like so many people have said that, you know, it couldn't happen to a nicer person and, you know, they're really happy for us and everybody has been really accommodating, which is nice. So yeah, he's, he is good. I mean, I've always, I've, always said I have Jake look, which is, I have always had bad luck. So he was just nice, finally. Everyone's like, oh, I'd have bad luck forever, you know, to win that kind of money once, you So it's just nice for things to finally change, which is good. So, yeah, everybody's been really accommodating.

Timothy Schultz:

That's great. And for anyone watching or listening to this that is maybe feeling a little down on their luck or they're feeling unlucky, what would you tell them?

Jake Emery:

Keep on keeping on I mean that's all I've done for so many years and like say you've also got to be in it to win it you know like I tried raining it down on the competitions and so on because like say I love that many cars every time there's a decent car in there I'm like oh yeah yeah I'll have a go and I thought I'd never get a win you know I thought i'd spend that much that I'm never getting a return but you know i think sometimes it's just that hope You know, you just... You just pray for something big don't you and it's come off so it's really good and same again like now we've got another one on like we did a million pounds cash last month you know like everything the prize is getting bigger and bigger and you know it's potential for not a lot of money to change so many people's lives it's madness.

Timothy Schultz:

Yeah, and do you have the opportunity to, or will you to meet other winners? Because sometimes that happens with some games in the UK.

Jake Emery:

I'm not sure, they've not mentioned anything at the moment, but they might possibly be, especially like with local winners and so on. But yeah, I mean, I'm willing to do that, yeah, that's hopefully be good. Like I say, because it is a local firm and there's advertisement everywhere and so on, you do get quite a lot of local winners because it's obviously, it's all you ever see. And it's good to see, like I say it's life-changing, really. You know, I've always just wanted to win a nice car like him. Lamborghini or an audi r8 but this you know this is something else this is proper you know could create generational wealth you know it's it is it's really good i'm i'm very lucky

Timothy Schultz:

It is proper and congratulations again, it's extraordinary. So for anyone watching or listening that is hoping to win something that whether they're entering the UK jackpot millionaire maker or something else, do you have any hot tips, any advice for them?

Jake Emery:

No just keep on doing what you're doing don't bet with anything that you can't afford to lose because obviously not everybody's guaranteed and like say it took me I'd love to know when I actually started but it's taken me years to get this and obviously I'm very very thankful that I have got it but for a lot of the time I've spent thousands so You've just obviously got to make sure that you're not... Living beyond your means, which is very easily done nowadays. But yeah, it kind of happened, and like I say, church for me was great. I mean, I've only been once since because I've still been doing seven days, but I really need to try and reign it in and have more time and try and slow down a bit. I'm not getting any younger. And like I said, it was that Mexican story About a Mexican family That's what I was getting at. So he'd had the best year when he did go to church finally on a Sunday he'd have the best here he'd ever had And so that's what Mike said to me and he was like no way, you know, maybe we're doing it all wrong. Maybe We need to slow down you know try and get our faith back and so on and And obviously ever so that you know There was a couple of little things that just pointed me in the right direction and look where I am now. So He said it's great. Really you know it was great that like I was Gazette which is our paper. I was on the front page of a Gazette giving Mike half the money, you know, which is great. So yeah, it's just been really good all around.

Timothy Schultz:

How does the publicity feel? Because you have become sort of a... Celebrity with this, for lack of a better word, for this winning this contest and it happens to people when they win major prizes. How does that feel?

Jake Emery:

You know I mean I'm very much a private person so it was just a bit overwhelming to be honest. So at the time I'd got rid of Facebook and Instagram and so on. I've not got it back since because it was, you know there's people that I knew 20 years ago and they're like oh my god you know and it was getting, I don't like, like if I won the lottery I'd want nobody to know. You know it's one of them like yeah you know because you'd see me in a Lamborghini one day and that that be it. You know, so I'm very much a private person and for like, I mean, being in the paper was amazing and everything has all been amazing, but you know, for me, you know I'm more of a go and notice kind of man. So, you now it was a bit overwhelming for me really. But you know I'm not gonna complain. But with it being a live draw and so on, there's no way of it being like nobody knowing about it because I was already tagged in it and you know we have friend requests, You know, just everything was just like... So much going on so yeah I've kind of taken a step back from all that at the moment still so yeah i've not handled handled it very well

Timothy Schultz:

when you mentioned that it's a live draw for people that are outside of the UK. So were you announced publicly as the winner like right away?

Jake Emery:

Yeah yeah so it comes up it's like a loads of balls in a machine um and then it says the number and it goes jake emery and obviously everybody that knew me because same again like there's so many local people that do you know do elite that they're like oh my god jake hemory and i'm just getting tagged and all sorts and a lot jake enry from blackpool so you know there's no getting away from it which look i mean if i had the choice to have it and everybody know or to not have it at all I'm gonna take your hands down. But yeah, it's For me, it's not, I'm not really that kind of person, you know, I'd rather nobody knows than everybody, but you know we are where we are, can't complain. Everything's a blessing and a curse, isn't it?

Timothy Schultz:

Extraordinary. Congratulations. Congratulations again. And I don't want to take too much more of your time. I do want to ask one more question about the church, because some people are very interested in this, including myself. When you were in the church and you did the prayer, did you expect to get guidance after asking for it? Not money, but just an answer to your prayer. Did you think that you would get that?

Jake Emery:

I was hoping so. I was hopin', like say, because I've not been in so long and, you know, if I had, it might have been like when I was 14, 15 when I went last. There's probably no problems at 14,15. You know, like the world's your oyster at that age, isn't it? So I didn't know what I wanted. I knew I went because I wanted it, but I didn t know if I was gonna get it or just feel something or I don't know maybe bring my faith back and make me go to church and then that means I'm slowing down and I didn't honestly I didn t know what to expect to be honest I was just a little bit lost and I just felt like especially with my nan wanting to be dropped off there it was everything had just fell into place to just be like well you're here now like rather than me going like I'd probably gone for weeks and gone oh I should go church and I never never acted on it I was always working always messing around. I think with my nan saying, and these have always been bad, it's not like it's a new thing, she just said, oh, will you give me a lift? It was just like everything had fell into place for me to go on that day. Like say the irony in him saying about not chasing riches and so on, I was just taken back by it all, like maybe I do need to slow down, and then boom, this happens. I mean, I've sped up, if anything, but because I'm a workaholic, I can't help it. You know, there's worse things to be addicted to, I know, but... I just can't help it, but I think I just need to take this, you know, take this blessing and try and slow down and you know and make it work for me really. So yeah, it's been amazing.

Timothy Schultz:

Yeah. What, what a blessing. This is, it is, it is amazing. I'm so happy for you and really appreciate you taking the time to come onto this podcast. Um, Jake, is there anything about your story that I don't know enough to ask or that you just want to say today?

Jake Emery:

No, I think we've covered everything really, like say the church, obviously I've given heart to my best friend, yeah that's pretty much like saying everything else has been quite boring really. Hopefully you know in many years time I'll be saying, you know I've got a portfolio with X and many houses and you know, but yeah at the moment it's just still the same old me just working hard, but obviously it just helps out a lot more now which is really good.

Timothy Schultz:

Yeah, absolutely. It's wonderful and I am so happy for you. Congratulations to you and to your friend as well. It was very generous and I mean, what a good friend. You guys have to be very close. So congratulations.