Heartbreaking discovery as son finds mother’s secret winning lotto ticket with a note attached after she died

Liam Carter, a 34-year-old in the UK was sorting through his mother’s possessions in Hampshire when he made a remarkable discovery.

Anne, 67, had passed away, and Liam was tasked with organising her belongings.

Inside her kitchen drawer, where she usually kept her lottery tickets, Liam found a folded envelope. Written on the outside were the words: “Sat draw — don’t forget!”

“I nearly ignored it, but something told me to check,” Mr Carter said. “I scanned it using the National Lottery app, and it said it was a winning ticket, but I’d have to call the lottery line.”

He called the line and was informed that his mother had matched five of the numbers from the EuroMillions draw, narrowly missing the missing stars. This meant she had won a payout of £18,403 ($A38,271).

Mr Carter recalled, “I just froze. I must’ve gone quiet on the phone. It didn’t feel real. She never won anything big in her life and now this.”

He added, “She always said if she ever won, the money would be for me. And even though she never knew about this win, it really felt like something she left behind for me. Like one final gift.”

Now, Liam plans to use the money toward a deposit on a flat, something he knows his mother always wanted for him.

A spokesperson from Playcasino.com commented: “Liam’s story shows that the lottery isn’t just about money it’s about meaning. In this case, a forgotten ticket became something powerful and emotional.”

They added, “It’s a reminder that even the smallest moments can carry the biggest impact.”