A scaffolder who was living between his father’s home and a pub run by his partner’s parents has scooped £11.5 million – from a £1.50 bet.
Arron Freeman was playing an online slot machine on the Betfred website called Mega Moolah when his lines came up and transformed his life.
The payout – the biggest in the gambling firm’s 58-year history – represents a 766,667,000 per cent return on his stake.
Mr Freeman was still struggling to accept the impact of his June 5 win when contacted by the Mail today.
The 44-year-old said the win would change his circumstances ‘big time’, adding: ‘I need a little time to get my head around it.’
He added: ‘I am in shock. I don’t want to say too much more at the moment.’
Mr Freeman is in a relationship with Kelly Dighton, who is understood to be in her 40s and has a TikTok account where she posts videos every day about her recovery from drug addiction.
Recent updates, understood to be before her partner’s big win, excitedly announced she was more than 100 days clean and was looking to start a business.
Arron Freeman, 44, pictured with partner Kelly Dighton, turned a £1.50 stake on an online fruit machine into an £11.5 million payout
The scaffolder has been living between the Lake Lothing pub in Lowestoft, Suffolk, run by Miss Dighton’s parents, and his father’s house a few miles away in Mulbarton, Norfolk
Mr Freeman shared one of the posts in April, gushing: ‘What can I say apart from I’m so proud of you, my beautiful woman!
‘You’re getting stronger by the day, which is making me stronger by the day! Please share this and make people aware.’
He is understood to have been living between Lake Lothing Public House in Lowestoft, Suffolk, which is run by Ms Dighton’s parents, and his father’s house in Mulbarton, Norfolk.
A review of the pub on CAMRA’s website says: ‘Popular street corner pub and restaurant offering bed and breakfast, lunch and dinner.
‘The pub has regular live music and karaoke nights and shows major sporting events on TV.’
A five-star review on Facebook adds: ‘One of the very few pubs I feel very comfortable in.
‘Friendly staff and landlord / landlady. Good food and always a fun time whatever day/night you go.’
But Mr Freeman will now be able to afford his own mansion – and a butler to pull his pints – if he wants.
The dedicated father said the massive jackpot would change his life ‘big time’ but admitted he was stll trying to ‘get my head around it’
He runs ASL Scaffolding, whose website states: ‘With 25 years of experience under our belt, we are a family-run business that brings expertise and professionalism to every project we undertake.’
A friend, who asked not to be named, said: ‘Arron is still in shock and it hasn’t really set in.
‘Of course it’s a life-changing amount of money, so it’s something I think he is coming to terms with.
‘He is a father and I think he’s still trying to get his head around it.
‘I think he and his partner are off on holiday and are going to take some time to decide their options.’
Billionaire Betfred founder Fred Done, 82, called Mr Freeman to offer his congratulations and invited the Manchester Utd fan to a reds game as his guest.
He said: ‘He’s a sensible chap and is planning to invest some of his winnings into property for his family. But not before enjoying the holiday of a lifetime.’
Mr Done – who opened his first bookies in 1967 using the proceeds of a flutter on England’s win in the 1966 World Cup – has advised the mega-jackpot winner to ‘never gamble again’.
