Eighty fortunate bus drivers have each received a portion of a windfall from the EuroMillions lottery, thanks to the meticulous planning of one employee. The workers at National Express, based in Yardley Wood Bus Depot, Birmingham, will divide £108,510.50 equally among themselves. Their plans for the money include purchasing a new carpet for the upper deck of their buses and indulging in various holiday trips.
Dennis Houghton, aged 73, who has been managing the syndicate for over 17 years, was the mastermind behind this lucky win. The syndicate, playing a combination of numbers and Lucky Dips, unexpectedly matched five main numbers and one Lucky Star number in the EuroMillions draw held on May 22, 2026. Dennis, who carefully organized the group’s lottery plays, shared that their boss was actually relieved that they didn’t match all the numbers, as winning more could have caused a shortage of bus drivers in Birmingham.
The syndicate, known as “On the Buses,” was established in 2009 when Dennis was approached by a colleague with the idea of pooling their resources for the EuroMillions Jackpot. The group plays a mix of Lucky Dips and their own selected numbers, with Dennis randomly picking numbers from a jar containing slips of paper numbered one to 59 before each draw. The syndicate’s activities, including updates and news sharing, are conducted through a dedicated Facebook page.
Despite changes in membership over the years, the “On the Buses” syndicate has grown to 80 members, with some individuals continuing to contribute even after retiring. Dennis humorously described the syndicate’s evolution as an “accidental syndicate” that expanded rapidly from a casual group of 24 drivers.
Dennis vividly recalled the moment he discovered their win, mentioning that he was astonished to find out about the substantial prize amount through his National Lottery app. The news spread quickly among the members, with Dennis receiving a flood of calls from excited syndicate participants confirming their win.
Interestingly, Dennis was on vacation when he purchased the winning EuroMillions ticket for the syndicate at Geralds Supermarket in Dawlish Warren, Devon. Their winning ticket was one of two in the UK that matched the required numbers for a significant prize.