Former Pub Owner Wins £166,000 in Postcode Lottery After Defying Wife's Advice to Cancel

A retired pub landlord has won £166,000 in the Postcode Lottery after refusing to cancel a ticket registered to his former business address, defying his wife's repeated suggestions to abandon the duplicate entry. The postcode PE13 5QH in Tydd St Mary, Norfolk, landed the lottery's weekly Millionaire Street prize worth £1 million, which was split among six residents in the village.

John Keogh, aged 67, sold the Five Bells public house five years ago but chose to retain his lottery ticket under the original postcode rather than exclusively using his current address 80 miles away in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. His wife, Theresa, argued the dual subscription was wasteful and unnecessary. When the draw confirmed Tydd St Mary as a winning postcode, Keogh celebrated at the pub's beer garden—the location that had anchored his lottery hopes throughout his absence from the village.

"I had a feeling that the people I sold to would be in it," Keogh explained, his voice wavering with emotion. "When I moved, I rang the Postcode Lottery and said I needed to change the address because I'd moved away. But I was told I didn't have to and could keep this postcode, otherwise I wouldn't be here today." He acknowledged his wife's earlier scepticism: "I've proved her wrong. It feels amazing."

The win carries an additional layer of community connection: Sharon Allard, the current owner of the Five Bells, also received £166,000 from the same prize draw. Allard celebrated the news while holidaying in northwest France, expressing satisfaction that multiple residents benefited from the outcome. Her husband Tony, 64, who co-owns the establishment, confirmed their gratitude for the windfall. The two former and current landlords shared the £1 million prize with four other neighbours in the village.

Keogh, who worked as a cricket club commercial manager, disclosed plans to use his winnings for personal aspirations and family support. He intends to fund a holiday, possibly purchase a river cruiser, and distribute portions among his two sons and four grandsons. Theresa acknowledged his fortune while maintaining her earlier position had been reasonable: "I said it was ridiculous paying for two tickets. He said, 'but what if I win?' Well, he has."