Multiple bedrooms, swish interiors, and price tags more than most earn in a decade, Omaze mansions are the prize of just a lucky few across the UK.
But after winning the multi-million pound house draw, available to enter for as little as £10, comes the dilemma: move in, rent out, or sell up?
Now, yet another Omaze home has hit the market for £2,300,000 less than a year after it was won.
Chris Milnes, a 60-year-old father-of-three from West Yorkshire, took home the grand prize in the Dorset House Draw in June 2024, securing a luxurious five-bedroom home in Wimborne alongside £100,000 in cash.
Though it was originally valued at £2,500,000 by Omaze, the rainforest-themed property – surrounded by greenery and located just 40 minutes from the New Forest – has now been listed at £200,000 less.
When Chris won, he hadn’t told his family that he’d entered the draw – naturally, they were ‘speechless.’
Having spent most of his childhood in a council flat in Leeds, Chris intended to sell up and cash in to unlock a new life as a multi-millionaire. He said he wanted to give his ‘children the start in life I never had.’
The family spent time in the home, enjoying all it had to offer over the Christmas period, before sticking the for sale sign outside.
‘The money we also got as part of my big win means if we wanted to, we could stay here for years and never have to worry about any costs – but we love where we live now, so [we] have decided to sell up and bank the cash,’ Chris shares.
‘Selling means we can find our forever home where we currently live, and still have enough money left to retire on as well as give our kids the boost they all deserve, so the entire family has gained from this, not just me.’
Almost six months on, Chris has learned that he’s to become a grandad. As his son lives in Australia, the money from the sale means that they’ll have the funds to spend time with their first grandchild, which Chris labels ‘absolutely wonderful.’
When Chris won, his family were living in a rented house – and had even discussed down-sizing to save money, just one week before.
‘We’ve worked hard all our lives – and we’ve had to manage some challenging times over the years – but the future has never looked brighter,’ Chris shared following his win.
Last month, the Surrey home – originally valued at £3,000,000 and won by 54-year-old Rachael Reid from Inverness in July 2024 – went on the market for £2,950,000.
Rachael and Chris aren’t the only Omaze winners who decided to sell up and pocket the money: of the 14 luxury properties that had been won up until August 2023, just three were still being lived in, according to MailOnline.
Meanwhile, 10 of them had been sold, while one was rented on Airbnb.
Set across 1.4 acres of landscaped grounds, the Farnham home comes with all the trimmings – including a separate leisure building complete with a 40-foot swimming pool, sauna and gym, as well as a spacious living room and a separate study space.
There are six bedrooms, with the main bedroom featuring a seating area, a walk-in dressing room, an ensuite bathroom with an opulent freestanding bath, and even French doors leading out to the patio.
In the kitchen area, there’s an island with a breakfast bar, Shaker oak eye and base level units that comprise a wide range of fitted Siemens appliances, Liebherr full height induction hob, and a boiling filtered water tap.
For the summer months, there’s even an outdoor kitchen complete with concrete worktops, built-in cupboards, a gas BBQ, and an outdoor open fireplace that looks out onto the gardens and grounds.
But when Rachael first won, she thought a family member was playing a joke on her. She never expected her life to change forever.
Her husband, 56-year-old Darren, was finally able to retire from his job in the energy industry which necessitated him working away from home for weeks on end.
‘We’ve probably spent more time apart than together as a family, as my husband had to work away so often,’ she added, noting that they’d finally be able to spend a Christmas together.
After winning though, she and her family didn’t place the home straight on the market – instead choosing to spend a few months enjoying their time at the house.
‘All the locals have been lovely and welcoming – it’s a fantastic area,’ Rachael shares.
‘The money I also got as part of my big win means if we wanted to, we could stay here for years and never have to worry about any costs.’
But for now, Rachael loves where she lives – which is why the family have decided to cash in and pocket the money so that they can buy an ‘amazing home’ closer to their family and friends in Scotland.
‘The money from the sale will change everything for the entire family – it’s just incredible – we’re all so excited for the future – we might even build our very own Omazing house!’ Rachael adds.
‘Entering Omaze was the best decision I ever made – I wish anyone who enters the best of luck, if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.’
But not everyone chooses to sell their Omaze home. For Daren Bell, winning a £4.5 million nine-bedroom home in Norfolk was an instant opportunity both to move into his dream property and close the distance between him and his long-term partner, Claire.
When he first got the call, he thought he was dreaming; he had been paying the £10 monthly subscription fee to Omaze for just three months.
The timing couldn’t have been better as Daren and Claire had long been waiting for the right moment to move in together. In a previous interview with Metro, he laughed that it took ‘probably too long’ for them to seal the deal and book the removal van, but their old homes were too small to fit Claire’s four children and Daren’s multiple cats.
‘[Winning the Omaze house] was the catalyst we needed,’ Daren explains. ‘It’s such a lovely place to live, and be part of a family. We’ve got quite a house full, and I’m hoping to move my 84-year-old dad in with us soon if he ever retires. He’s still working in a hospital.’
Wondering about entering the Omaze draw yourself? A country manor near Bath worth more than £4,000,000 could be won for just £10 in the latest competition.
The winner will be given the keys to an opulent six-bedroom property – and it even has a regal heritage, dating back to the mid-1500s. It was part of the estate of Sir John Harrington, who was the godson of Elizabeth I, during the reign of Queen Anne.
The draw was launched on December 17, and will also raise money for the British Heart Foundation. Entries close on Sunday, January 12.
Naturally, the property comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered, and the owners are free to live in it, rent it out or sell up and cash in.
Wondering about renting it out? The property could achieve a long-term rental value of between £10,000 and £20,000 per month, according to Omaze’s experts.
Should you choose to stay, the additional £250,000 cash prize is expected to cover living costs in the home for 10 years.
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