After believing she had won a million-pound jackpot as a gift from her deceased mother, Claire Ainsley, 27, was devastated to find out that it was all a mistake. The news came from William Hill, who informed her that the supposed win was actually an error.
Expressing her disappointment, Claire shared, “It’s been a nightmare. My mum recently died as well and she was only 45 and I thought it was a gift.” She recounted how her children, Skylar and Logan, would bid goodnight to their late grandmother every evening, making her believe the win was a miraculous sign.
Tragically, Claire’s mother, Lisa, passed away from Crohn’s disease two years ago. Claire had intended to donate part of the winnings to a charity supporting Crohn’s disease patients, believing her mother had somehow influenced her luck in winning £1 million while playing the Jackpot Drop game on the William Hill app.
However, her hopes were shattered when an email clarified that the win was due to a technical glitch, and she would not be receiving the prize. Determined to fight for what she was promised, Claire expressed her frustration, saying, “It’s been terrible and so stressful. I thought we would be able to live a better life and get a bigger house for us.”
Recalling the moment of false triumph, Claire recounted placing a small bet on the app and witnessing the jackpot amount appear on her screen. Overwhelmed with joy, she shared, “I could not believe it at the time and went back off it three times. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack, I couldn’t breathe, I was crying with joy in the kitchen and saying ‘thank you to my mum’.”
Despite assurances from William Hill that the money would be in her account shortly, Claire was left devastated when the promise was broken. The emotional toll on her and her children has been immense, as they had already planned how to utilize the winnings, including taking their first holiday abroad and securing a stable future.
Feeling let down by the turn of events, Claire highlighted the impact on her mental health, stating, “My mental health has got a lot worse because of all this. It’s been really depressing and so frustrating, I log on and look on my account and the proof is all still there. They are just ignoring me now.”
She also shared that she was offered a meager sum of £34 as compensation, which she found inadequate considering the initial promise. Claire revealed that she is not the only one affected by this issue, as other members of a Facebook group she belongs to have faced similar disappointments.
William Hill’s parent company, Evoke, acknowledged the technical glitch that led to incorrect winnings being credited to players. They assured that steps were being taken to rectify the situation and apologized for any inconvenience caused. However, they did not disclose the number of customers impacted by the error.
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