Carly Pearson buys just one ticket for £1.99
Carly Pearson won our £700k Dream Home with a single £1.99 entry, and almost forgets she even entered.
It starts the same way every time, with a quiet moment where someone decides to take a shot.
For Carly Pearson, it was on a journey on the train back to Kent, casually scrolling through her phone after work.
She spotted a house competition, liked the look of it, and decided "why not?"
One single ticket. £1.99.
And that was it.
Or so she thought.
Like so many people, Carly carried on with her routine and completely forgot she’d even entered.
Until the call came.
“I entered a competition… and I’ve won!”
It was a Sunday night. Laundry was being sorted. No makeup, oversized hoodie on, just a normal end to the weekend.
Then her phone rang.
“It was 7days,” Carly said. “I was so confused, I could barely remember entering!”
Still processing it herself, she ran into the other room to find her partner, Glenn.
“So I entered a competition… for £1.99… and I’ve won!”
“What have you won?” he asked.
“A house… and a car…!”
Glenn’s immediate response?
“I think I lent you £1!”
A moment that changes everything
Carly, who works in London and commutes, had always played it smart with competitions.
She usually entered lower-priced draws and bought multiple tickets to increase her chances.
But this time was different.
Something about our £700k luxury 4-bedroom fully furnished dream home caught her eye, and she decided to take a chance.
One ticket was all it took.
Before the win, Carly and Glenn had recently bought their home and were carefully saving to improve it bit by bit.
Like many families, they had plans, big ones, but they kept getting pushed back.
A dream trip to New York. Home upgrades. More space to enjoy life.
Now, suddenly, all of it was within reach.
Seeing it all in person
We met Carly and Glenn at the property, and it didn’t disappoint.
They were blown away from the moment they stepped inside.
The space. The design. The details.
Glenn, a former electrician, was especially impressed, particularly by the huge chandelier, even asking where it was from (and if he could take it home!).
The en-suites were another highlight.
“You could do a lot of showering in there!” he joked.
Carly laughed, adding that if they had taken the house, Glenn could’ve finally claimed one of the eight wardrobes in the walk-in.
They loved everything about it.
But there was one thing they couldn’t ignore.
Choosing the £600,000
As much as the house impressed them, the location didn’t quite work for their family.
With children to consider, moving away just wasn’t the right fit.
“If we could just pick this house up and move it to where we are, it would be ideal!” Carly said.
So they made their decision.
They chose the £600,000 tax-free cash alternative.
And that’s when things really started to sink in.
Plans, possibilities, and a trip to New York
When the money hit the bank, it still didn’t feel real.
“I was checking my bank 10 times a day!” Carly admitted.
Suddenly, all those postponed plans could become a reality.
She called her mum, torn between practical upgrades and long-held dreams.
“I didn’t know whether to do the utility room up or finally go to New York…”
Her mum’s answer?
“Do both, you’ve got the money there!”
And that settled it.
New York is officially happening.
Alongside that, the plans include:
A brand new utility room
A home office upgrade
A home bar (Glenn’s request!)
A new car
Paying off a chunk of their mortgage
Treats for the whole family
“It hasn’t fully sunk in”
Even now, Carly says it still feels surreal.
“It’s life changing.”
“It’s changed mine and my family’s life.”
“I just can’t believe it was us, with one ticket.”
And maybe that’s the part that stands out the most.
Not dozens of entries. Not a big spend.
Just one entry, one £1.99 ticket.
Hi, we’re Carly and Glenn…
“And we won £600,000 for £1.99!”
Some wins take time to believe.
This is definitely one of them.
