Lotto winners up and down the country have shared tales of when they almost lost their winnings before even being able to spend it because of little-known rules or family members thinking it’s a scam.

MUM IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT

Joanne Jobson from Hartlepool, County Durham, snagged the top prize on Set For Life and now banks £10,000 every month – and will do for the next three decades.

But the hardworking carer revealed how she almost missed out on the prize money after her mum believed it was a scam.

After Joanne checked her account and discovered she had won an jaw-dropping amount of money, she rushed to tell her mum, who she lives with.

She said: “I jumped out of bed and went to tell my mum.

“I remember just saying to mum ‘I think I might have won a lot of money’ and showing her my phone.

“Mum was convinced it was a scam, so I googled the winning Set For Life numbers for the same date to see if they matched – which of course they did.”

It was only when Joanne got through to staff at the National Lottery that she was able to confirm that her life had changed forever.

A MOVING OUT GIFT

Lucky punter Alan Jones, 56, had almost axed his ticket for his sold Tyne and Wear property.

Instead, on the last day in his home, Jones’ Westerhope postcode struck gold with him and five other neighbours who all netted £166,666 each.

Jones said: “I was going to cancel my ticket and renew it wherever I end up. Thank goodness I didn’t.

“I’ve got to be out by 2pm tomorrow and I’m basically packing up the house now because I need a new start. This has helped give me that.”

CHECK YOUR LOTTO BALANCE

Euromillions winner Ian Anderson scooped a £1million jackpot prize, but nearly missed out on the life-changing win.

Ian Anderson, 77, and wife Marlyn, 70, bagged the massive sum after copping the fateful £2.50 Lucky Dip ticket.

The elderly couple only had £4.90 left in their National Lottery account before they opted to take a chance on the jackpot.

Marlyn, who now cares for her terminally ill husband after he was sadly diagnosed with pleural plaques and pulmonary fibrosis, always plays the Lottery but had no idea that one day she would win big.

She recalled: “I just thought there is no point £4.90 just sitting in my account, I will buy a lucky dip ticket for the next draw.

“It was the day after the draw that I saw an email saying there was good news about my ticket.”

LISTEN TO YOUR GUT

Tamsin Burling, 33, admitted to learning a big lesson after scooping £83,000 on the lottery

The mum, who won her share of £1million alongside her Kent neighbors, said her fiancé Craig Billington once tried to convince her not to buy a ticket.

But she ignored him and now they’ve scooped tens of thousands of pounds.

Craig, 32, looked on sheepishly as Tamsin, who at the time was seven months pregnant with their third child, celebrated the five-figure win.