Eighty fortunate bus drivers have each received a portion of a EuroMillions prize, all thanks to the careful planning of one colleague. The employees from National Express, based at Yardley Wood Bus Depot in Birmingham, will share a total of £108,510.50. Their plans for the windfall include upgrading the upper floor carpet and enjoying various holidays. This unexpected payout was orchestrated by Dennis Houghton, who has been managing the syndicate for over 17 years, utilizing a mix of numbers and Lucky Dips in their weekly plays.
Dennis mentioned that their boss was quite relieved that they didn’t match all the numbers as it could have caused a shortage of bus drivers in Birmingham. The winning ticket, which matched five main numbers and one Lucky Star number in the EuroMillions draw on May 22, 2026, was purchased at Geralds Supermarket on Warren Road in Dawlish Warren, Devon. The syndicate, known as “On the Buses,” was initiated in 2009 when a fellow driver suggested pooling their resources for the EuroMillions jackpot.
The syndicate, which now consists of 80 members, plays a combination of Lucky Dips and personally chosen numbers selected by Dennis randomly from a jar containing numbers one to 59. Even after retirement, many players have continued to contribute to the syndicate. Dennis humorously referred to the syndicate as an accidental creation that rapidly grew from an informal group to a well-organized syndicate with a waiting list.
When Dennis discovered the win, he was at home and initially expected a small prize but was pleasantly surprised by the substantial amount. His phone was inundated with calls from excited syndicate members confirming the win. The group’s winning ticket was one of two in the UK that matched the required numbers. Dennis shared the good news with the syndicate members via their Facebook page, where he regularly posts updates and news related to their plays.
