‘I’m a football-mad Wrexham fan and I've won a luxurious tree-lined £3M mansion in a £25 Omaze draw - it's truly life-changing’

A football-mad Wrexham fan plans to live like the team's Hollywood owners - after scooping a £3M Omaze mansion.

Richard Baker, 58, won the keys for a spectacular new home in the New Forest for just £25 in the latest draw. And he said they now feel like 'other local celebrities' Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who have taken his club from obscurity to the Championship. To celebrate the home win, Richard took his 17-year-old daughter straight to a Wrexham football match that evening.

He said: "We’re normal people with normal jobs - but now we’re going to be living like Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney! We got a draw at the football, but we’d already won big that day, so I was still more than happy.”

The striking four-bedroom home is set in more than an acre of private land, just moments from the coast and the Georgian market town of Lymington. The luxurious property comes complete with its own swimming pool, yoga studio and sauna pod - and is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, including a vegetable patch. 

Richard, who lives with wife Yannick, 54, and daughter Alicia, 17, was also given a life-changing £500,000 in cash in the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, New Forest, which comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered. 

Richard, who won the £3 million Grand Prize for just £25, works as a Process Technologist, while Yannick is a languages school teacher and their daughter is studying for her A-levels.

When Omaze first contacted Richard to tell him he’d scooped a prize, he was at home with his daughter, both were getting ready to go and see their favourite football team, Wrexham A.F.C., play that evening. 

He said: “We’d been getting ready to go and see Wrexham play when Omaze called round - I was already hoping for a win that night, but it turned out to be the biggest win of my life - I became a multimillionaire! 

“Once the Omaze team had been and gone, my daughter checked her watch and said: ‘We can still make the game - let’s go and celebrate’.” So, the pair made the ten-minute journey to watch their local team.

Richard said: “Wrexham might have only got a draw, but winning a multimillion-pound house on the same day is the kind of promotion we’ve always dreamed of. We celebrated by watching football all weekend.

“The £500,000 that comes with the house will run the place for many, many years…so I might even use some of it to try and get my hands on a Wrexham season ticket."

Richard and his family can now decide to either live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income or sell it to become a cash multi-millionaire.

If Richard decides to keep the property, the cash prize would enable them to run the house for many years. If they decide to rent it out, local estate agents estimate that the home could command a long-term rental income of around £3,000 per month.

The family have lived in their four-bedroom home in Wrexham for over two decades and had been desperate for more space. Richard was born in the city and has lived in the area his whole life. He is also a huge fan of the hit TV show about his beloved team, Welcome to Wrexham. 

Richard said: “This is the biggest win in Wrexham since we got promoted to the Championship with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. I’ll be inviting Ryan and Rob round for a cuppa - my new place is certainly fit for Hollywood superstars. Ryan Reynolds has a house just a few miles from where we live at the moment, and now we have a house that’s worth more than his - it all feels very surreal and like something from a Hollywood script."

“This house is absolutely stunning, the garden, the pool, the layout - it’s just incredible. My wife has only done yoga a few times but she’ll be an expert in no time now we’ve got our own studio!” We’ve got the cinema room to watch football and Welcome to Wrexham in. The garden is so huge - I think it might be bigger than the Wrexham football pitch."

“Winning this house is truly life changing, we can think about retiring and spending more time together as a family. It doesn’t just change things for me and my wife but for the future of my daughter too - which is the most important thing.”

What the New Forest home includes

Richard’s striking new home is a stunning example of contemporary architecture, designed to flood the interiors with natural light and create a generous sense of space throughout. At its heart is a beautifully designed open-plan kitchen, dining and sunken living area - ideal for both entertaining and everyday family life. Floor-to-ceiling glazing opens onto a landscaped garden, complete with a swimming pool and terrace that create a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living.

The home is finished to an exceptional standard, with bespoke interiors and premium appliances throughout - including integrated Gaggenau ovens and hobs, a Fisher & Paykel fridge freezer, Siemens dishwasher and Quooker tap. The utility room is fitted with Miele laundry appliances. Underfloor heating and smart home technology complete the high-end features.

There are four spacious bedrooms, two of which are en suite, with a main suite featuring a dressing area and spa-style bathroom. A further family bathroom is located on the first floor, alongside a stylish ground-floor shower room. The house also includes a dedicated cinema room, a separate study and a large utility area.

The detached summer house offers a flexible space for wellness, work or guests - currently set up as a yoga studio - while a separate sauna pod adds to the home’s spa-like appeal. A double garage with mezzanine level provides additional storage or a creative space.

The peaceful, tree-lined setting of the property offers the perfect blend of seclusion and accessibility, with boutique shops, restaurants, private marinas and the Royal Lymington Yacht Club all within walking distance.

New Forest draw raises £1M for Teenage Cancer Trust

As well as making Richard a multimillionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, New Forest, raised £1M for Teenage Cancer Trust. Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to meeting the unique needs of young people aged 13-24 with cancer.

The charity funds specialist nurses, youth support teams and hospital units to help young people through every step of treatment and beyond. The money raised by the latest partnership will help fund Teenage Cancer Trust Nurses who support around 7,000 young people with cancer every year.

Honorary Patron of Teenage Cancer Trust Sir Roger Daltrey CBE

The partnership was backed by Sir Roger Daltrey CBE, Honorary Patron of Teenage Cancer Trust, a supporter of the charity for over three decades, who said: “It is incredible that the Omaze Community has raised such a tremendous amount to help support young people with cancer.

“I’ve been involved with Teenage Cancer Trust for over 35 years and the work they do is absolutely vital. No young person with cancer should ever have to go through it alone. Well done to the winner of this fantastic house, and thank you Omaze."

This latest partnership marks Omaze’s third campaign with Teenage Cancer Trust - which was also the inaugural charity partner when Omaze launched in the UK in 2020.

President of Omaze James Oakes

James Oakes, President of Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is thrilled that Richard has won this spectacular home in the New Forest, whilst also helping to raise £1 million for Teenage Cancer Trust.

“Omaze offers people the chance to win incredible homes, whilst also introducing charities to new audiences that they wouldn't normally reach - it’s a real win-win for entrants and our charity partners. We’re immensely proud that the Omaze Community has now raised over £100 million for good causes across the UK.”

Draw entries for the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Surrey, are available now at omaze.co.uk.