A man came round from lifesaving heart surgery to find out his wife had won £25,000 on a 50p bet.
Peter Smith, 70, was rushed to hospital that morning after suffering a heart attack but awoke to find himself both healthier and richer.
He was coming round from surgery when he received a phone call from his wife Winnie, also 70, who told him about their good fortune.
The retired carpenter said it "did him a lot of good" to hear their luck had turned as he lay recovering from his health scare in a hospital bed.
The couple, who have two children and three grandchildren, won the cash after Winnie bet 50p on the 49's numbers game at her local Betfred shop in Sidcup, south-east London.
All five of her numbers, 2,8,13,24 and 32,which are based around their wedding day and family birthdays, came up.
Peter, from Sidcup, said: "It all happened in a few hours. I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance in the early hours and had my operation almost straight away.
"Then Winnie was on the phone as I was coming round five hours later to see how it had gone when she told me the amazing news. It did me a lot of good."
The couple are now planning to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary in style next year with a VIP cruise to the Caribbean or the Maldives - thanks to their lucky win.
Winne had placed her 50p bet on Friday, just hours before her husband suffered a heart attack in the middle of the night.
She said: "I put the bet on like usual for the Saturday draw on the Friday and then in the early hours of Saturday Peter had his heart attack.
"They knew what was wrong and more or less went straight in for the operation to fit stents at King's College Hospital at Denmark Hill.
"With all the Covid restrictions, I couldn't visit him but knew when I did speak to him by phone on the recovery ward I knew I would be able to cheer him up with the news that we were £25,000 better off."
She added: "I don't drink or smoke and just like to have a little flutter.
"It was the best news we could have had. We've got more money now for our new conservatory at home and enough to pay for the very best big holiday next year when it is our golden wedding anniversary and hopefully things are back to normal and people can travel once again."
