Woman Rubs Pretend $1.5 Million Lottery Winner's Shoulder For Luck

Maria Croce experiences a lottery win at the wheel of a convertible Bentley. PHOTO: Phil Dye

When reporter Maria Croce wondered what it would be like to win £1 million (US$1.5M), she didn't bank on someone believing her win.

While she was having her photo taken for the mock UK National Lottery win, a bystander rushed over and rubbed her shoulder for luck.

But that wasn't all the intrepid reporter discovered... being a winner requires a lot of work.

Taylor Ferguson make-up artist Leanne made Maria look a million dollars. PHOTO: Phil Dye

Here's Maria's account of her winning day: Most of us dream about what we’d spend our millions on if we ever won the Lottery.

I’ve already planned a holiday home in the sun as well as helping out some good causes.

But according to the team responsible for looking after new millionaires, most never follow through with their dreams.

Most are so shocked by the life change, they take a while to get used to the money and start off small.

But when Camelot offered to give me a day in the life of a winner, I decided to jump right in.

To get ready for my big cheque photocall, I stopped at Taylor Ferguson hair salon in Glasgow. They have had a couple of lottery winners and plenty of celebs through their doors before.

Then I was off to Pollok House in Glasgow to receive my big winner’s cheque.

Bentley Glasgow supplied a yellow convertible worth £120,000 for the photo call. PHOTO: Phil Dye.

I felt like lady of the manor parked in front of the National Trust for Scotland mansion posing with a big cheque made out in my name for £1million – the only thing bringing me down was my heels sinking into the grass.

As I posed for photos, people stopped and stared. One woman rushed over and rubbed my shoulder for luck. Others wanted photos with the yellow Bentley.

Everyone was happy for me and shouted “congratulations” as they passed.

Andy Carter, senior winners advisor for the UK National Lottery.

Andy Carter is Camelot senior winners’ adviser. He's part of a team of five who deal with winners with prizes worth more than £50,000. They meet about 1,000 winners a year face-to-face or check ID and arrange payment.

Andy said: “We have an agreement with all the major banks who all have departments that either just deal with Lottery winners or deal exclusively with wealthy people."

It took Maria six bottles of champagne to get this picture. PHOTO: Phil Dye

“We get a contact there to come out while we’re with you and they open a separate account that shields you from the high street network."

It had been great fun getting glammed up and treated like a millionaire for a day.

After reluctantly handing back my £1million cheque, I played the Euro Millions that night online – and my hopes rose with an email the next day saying I had won.

But just as I was imagining getting back behind the wheel of my yellow Bentley, I found they’d missed some zeroes. I’d won £2.80.