National Lottery luck as people living in Wolverhampton postcode win most

The city boasts no fewer than 32 million-pound winners and is top of the national rich rankings for the number of £50,000 or more cheques handed out in the past 10 years.

Statistics have come to light for the first time after The National Lottery completed detailed analysis on the UK's 121 postcode areas. In total 212 people living in a WV postcode have won £50,000 or more.

Wolverhampton also holds the record for the lottery's biggest ever West Midland windfall, when Wednesfield couple Tom and Rita Naylor scooped £15.5m on the Lotto Extra draw in November 2001.

Five years later Irene and Ron Jones, from Bilston, won £9.3m after picking all six numbers on a triple rollover jackpot.

The stunned retired couple – who bought their ticket on Friday the 13th – said they would never believe in superstitions again after smashing a mirror just hours before purchasing the ticket from their local Woolworths.

Just a month after that 18 members of a syndicate from Willenhall-based Arcelor SSC UK steel company celebrated landing their £5m share of the EuroMillions draw.

As well as Wolverhampton the lucky WV postcode takes in Bilston, Bridgnorth and Willenhall. Big winner Mr Naylor said: "We got the ball rolling in the Black Country back in 2001 and it's great news the area has continued to be so successful over the last decade."

A National Lottery spokeswoman added: "Congratulations to the people of Wolverhampton – they have been living through a stunning decade of luck and can celebrate being in one of the luckiest postcodes in the UK. Across the UK around 30 major prizes are won each week and with more than 3,200 National Lottery millionaires, nearly everyone will have a lucky winner in their neighbourhood."

The statistics used to create the rankings include both anonymous winners and those who took publicity.

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