A mechanic who scooped £108 million on EuroMillions hailed postive thinking as Oasis’s return and the Lionesses’ bid for Euros glory was cited for turning London’s frown upside down in the heatwave.
Neil Trotter, from Coulsdon, near Croydon, spoke as a new National Lottery survey suggested the feel-good start to summer is boosting hope and optimism across the capital.
According to the research, 72 per cent of Londoners say they feel more upbeat when the nation comes together around a unifying event.
England’s women beat Sweden in a tense penalty shoot-out to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2025, while Noel and Liam Gallagher’s Britpop band plays at Wembley Stadium later this month.
Half people in the city currently describe overall level of hopefulness in the UK as high, despite economic pressures and global conflict.
Mr Trotter, 51, bagged his massive win - at the time the fourth biggest ever - with a Lucky Dip in March 2014.
In an eerie premonition, he had told staff at his father’s office on the eve of his jackpot “this time tomorrow” he’d be a millionaire like namesake, Del Boy Trotter from Only Fools And Horses.
“I’ve always thought I’d win big and I’d had a good feeling all week,“ he said.
It allowed Mr Trotter to pursue his passion for motorsport, following the British Touring Car Championships and buying a McClaren 650S Spider supercar.
He and partner Nicky Ottaway also invested in a Grade II-listed manor house with 500 acres of land and six lakes.
Author and psychology expert Miriam Akhtar said: “Humans are social creatures, so it’s natural that shared moments, such as major sporting events, have a significant impact on national levels of hope.
“Optimism is infectious and like hope, these positive emotions spread through people in a phenomenon known as ‘emotional contagion’.
“So when the country is celebrating a Lioness win or enjoying the nostalgia of Oasis playing again, it takes hold nationally very quickly.”
Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: “We’re fully embracing this wave of optimism.
“For anyone who has their fingers crossed for things to go your way, we hope that seeing our installations brings a renewed sense of optimism and inspires you to believe it could be you.”
