£100 million jackpot

Newsagents have reported rocketing sales of tickets as shoppers dream of winning the whopping figure.

The estimated £100 million jackpot would be the world's biggest single lottery payout if only one player wins, according to Camelot.

A National Lottery spokesman said: "If one UK ticket-holder wins the EuroMillions jackpot, they will be guaranteed a place in the current Sunday Times Rich List as the 458th richest person in Britain - equal to Ozzy and Sharon Osborne."

And at one lucky Asda store in Pilkington Way, Radcliffe, which has produced two big National Lottery winners and a Thunderball winner, customers with pound signs in their eyes were lining up in the hope of being the next lucky person.

The last people to win a big prize with a ticket bought there were Chris Grundy, aged 36, and Martyn Frost, aged 30, who shared £930,000 in November.

And the Radcliffe men, who run their own antique business, were back at Asda yesterday to publicise tonight's £100 million Euro draw.

Chris said: "People are very excited about the draw it's a huge sum of money.

"We bought our winning ticket here and apparently lots of people think the store is lucky."

Chris and Martyn, who spent about £300,000 on a new home in Rossendale, refused to blow their money on flash goods.

Chris said: "We've had a few trips abroad, but have not gone mad.

"We went to Selfridges to buy some clothes, but I refuse to spend £150 on a shirt.

"Instead, we came back to Asda for some things from George. Martyn still drives a W-reg Renault Scenic."

Anne-Marie Mahon, aged 25, of Radcliffe, who was at Asda to buy EuroMillions ticket, said she would treat her family if she won.

"I can't drive so I wouldn't buy a flashy car - I would get a chauffeur. I'd take care of my partner, Simon, and our son Cameron, who is four. For me, saving the money would be important."

Sandra Harrison, aged 65, of Ainsworth, said the money would not change her life.

She said: "I'd give most of it to my four children. I would keep everything nice and simple. I wouldn't leave Ainsworth, I love it."

Lynn Downing, Asda shop assistant said sales of the Euro tickets had gone through the roof.

She said: "Last week we sold 5,000 tickets. This week it will total 7,000. It has been mad busy, it's not usually that high."

Last October, unemployed gardener Graham Everall, aged 28, and wife Julie, aged 36, of Johnson Fold, Bolton, scooped £4.2 million on the Euro lottery.

The couple bought their ticket from Moss Bank Post Office. Manager Ricky Hussain said: "The sales of the EuroMillions tickets are booming at the moment. The week before the £4.2 million win, someone won £50,000 on a scratch card from our shop.

"It has been really busy because the jackpot is so big. People who've never bought a Euro ticket have been snapping them up."

Shuresh Pindoria, of Candy and Cards, Ashburner Street, Bolton said: "We don't usually sell more than 100 Euro tickets a week, but last week we sold more than 1,000.

"People are really keen to win some of that money, it's a huge figure. This week sales have been very high too, but it will get even busier before the draw."

The EuroMillions jackpot has not been won since November 11 and cannot rollover after February 10.

If it is not won before or on that date, the jackpot money will be distributed among winners in the next winning prize tier in that draw.

The UK's first and biggest EuroMillions jackpot win was scooped by Marion Richardson from Gateshead, who won £16,752,144.80 in April, 2004.

EuroMillions costs £1.50 to play. The draw takes place in Paris at 9.30pm GMT on Fridays and is shown in the UK at 9.55pm on Challenge TV and on the National Lottery website.

Players must match five main numbers from one to 50 plus two Lucky Star numbers from one to nine.

EuroMillions is played in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, France, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland.

All the money raised for good causes from ticket sales in the UK, stays in the UK.