NHS worker wins £73k Aston Martin with 19p raffle ticket - but she can't drive it
An NHS A&E worker from Kent has woken up to the shock of her life after discovering she had won a £73,000 Aston Martin Vantage with a 19p raffle ticket - despite not yet being a driver herself.
Mary Sonquit, from Maidstone, scooped the stunning sports car courtesy of online competition firm BOTB after having only started entering its competitions at Christmas time.
Fresh from a late shift, Mary was fast asleep at home when BOTB presenter Katie Knight knocked on her door to deliver the surprise of a lifetime.
“I don’t know what to do,” Mary said. “This is crazy!”
The 25-year-old said she was woken by hearing someone asking for her at the door and admitted to forgetting what prize she had entered for.
“I saw it was 19p, entered, and then I completely forgot about it,” she said.
The Aston Martin Vantage is a powerful two-seater sports car, celebrated for its striking design, V8 twin-turbo engine and thrilling rear-wheel-drive performance. As Katie revealed the car, Mary was invited to sit inside.
“It’s so comfortable, and because I’m small it suits me really well,” she said. “It’s so much prettier in person.”
Mary, who is known for giving gifts to family and friends and often buys her Christmas presents six months in advance, admitted her family will be shocked by the news. Not least because they didn’t even know she played BOTB.
She has previously been lucky after winning £800 at a casino, but said this win was on a completely different level.
Mary, who works in A&E reception for the NHS and regularly works long hours, hasn’t started driving yet and is now considering taking the cash alternative instead. She plans to use the money to support herself through her psychology degree, removing the pressure of juggling full-time work and university.
Katie said: “The Vantage is such a head-turner, and seeing Mary in complete shock and trying to take it all in was brilliant.
“She’s worked incredibly hard for the NHS, often doing long shifts, and this couldn’t have happened to a more deserving winner.
“She may decide to take the cash, which will be life-changing in its own way. Either way, this prize gives her freedom, security and some well-earned breathing space.”
BOTB hands over the keys to a stunning dream car each week, as well as offering lifestyle prizes.
It is also currently offering people the chance to win a luxury four-bedroom home in Essex worth £1.25 million in a competition currently costing just £1.
Founded in 1999, BOTB has given away prizes to over 523,000 people, including £132m-worth of cars so far.
To see Mary’s reaction alongside a host of other lucky winners, head over to BOTB.com.