Former Doncaster physics teacher goes from bungalow to £3m Cornwall house after £25 win

Father-of three, Jon Dexter, aged 66, also won £250,000 in the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cornwall, and is now the proud owner of a striking four-bedroom home overlooking the golden sands of Porthcothan Bay—a quiet cove between Padstow and Newquay that forms part of the famed “Seven Bays for Seven Days”.

Jon, who won his £3 million prize for just £25 as part of his Omaze subscription, currently lives in a three-bedroom bungalow in Doncaster, but previously lived in Cornwall 40 years ago and always dreamed of returning one day.

His stunning home is set in the Cornwall National Landscape, formerly known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and offers panoramic sea views and private access to the South West Coast Path.

Jon’s new home comes mortgage free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered. He can decide to either live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income or sell it to become a cash multi-millionaire.

If Jon decides to keep the property, the £250,000 would enable him to run the house for many years. His new home also comes with £150,000 worth of furnishings.

If he decides to rent it out, local estate agents estimate that the home could command a long-term rental income of up to £3,500 per month.

When Omaze first contacted Jon to tell him he’d scooped a prize, he thought the knock at the door was a wine delivery.

An overjoyed Jon said: “It was just another quiet Friday night and I was in, expecting nothing more than a wine delivery, then all of a sudden Omaze turned up and I’m a multi-millionaire.”

Jon, who has three daughters aged between 29 and 33, has lived alone in his bungalow in Doncaster for the past 15 years. Every Christmas, Jon and a group of friends splash out to spend Christmas together at a holiday home, this year he’ll have his own idyllic house to celebrate in.

“We’ve been looking for a house to spend Christmas in for months but haven’t managed to find anything this year, so the first thing I did was message the WhatsApp group chat to say: 'Christmas sorted’.”

Jon, who worked as a physics teacher for over 30 years says he was a 14-year-old boy, already obsessed with scientific inventions, when he last won something: a copy of the book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – now he’s beginning his own magical journey!

“I thought the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang book was the best prize I was ever going to win, until now of course, winning an Omaze house is truly out of this world."

Jon, who lived in Cornwall 40 years ago before moving back north, has always wanted to return to the coastal county.

“I lived in Cornwall years ago and always dreamed of coming back here one day, I never imagined it would be to a house like this,” exclaimed Jon. “I have fond memories of living here – now, I get to make new ones with the family.”

“My three daughters are already planning their first trips down here — I think they’re even more excited than I am.”

On his new house Jon said: “This place is absolutely stunning, who needs a telly with views like that!

“I taught physics for decades, but I could never have calculated the formula for winning this, it’s what you call a quantum leap in good fortune. It has put me light-years ahead of where I ever thought I’d be.”

“I never taught maths, but £25 for a £3 million mansion is an easy equation for anyone.”

On the impact for him and his family he added: “Winning this house is life-changing for me and my family—we’re all still in shock. I love hosting pub quizzes, but this is one question I never thought I’d answer: how does it feel to win a £3 million home?

“Whatever I decide to do, this win means mine and my daughters' futures are financially secure.

“I might rent it out, I might move in or I might sell up and bank the cash — either way, it changes everything for me and the girls.

“Thanks to the £250,000, I could easily live here for years without having to worry—it gives me fantastic options.”

On the money raised for FareShare, Jon said: “I’m very proud to be part of the Omaze community that has raised so much money for charity.”

Jon’s striking new home was inspired by the shape of two pairs of binoculars, featuring four angled ‘lenses’ that frame sweeping coastal views across Will’s Rock and the Atlantic Ocean.

The reverse-living layout places the lounge and main bedroom on the upper floor, making the most of the seascape through floor-to-ceiling windows. There is also a cosy, built-in fireplace and bi-fold doors that lead out to the terrace.

The lower ground floor features an open-plan bespoke kitchen and dining area fitted with walnut Roundhouse cabinetry, Corian worktops and integrated Miele appliances. There’s a pantry with a walk-in fridge, a utility room and a second terrace leading down to a lawned garden with a sunken firepit.

There are four bedrooms, two of which are en suite, including the main bedroom suite which also has a sunken bathtub and dressing area with sea views. A fifth room is set up as a home office with unbeatable views, but could be used as an additional bedroom.

Oak flooring runs throughout and the house is equipped with underfloor heating and smart tech. There’s also a garage and driveway with space for two to three cars.

With Padstow and Newquay close by, and the South West Coast Path on the doorstep, this property offers the best of Cornish coastal living in one of the UK’s most sought-after regions.

As well as making Jon a multimillionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cornwall, raised £5.2 million for FareShare.

FareShare is the UK’s leading food redistribution charity. It rescues good surplus food and delivers it to over 8,000 charities and community groups across the country—helping to create meals, connections and vital support for people experiencing food insecurity.

The partnership was backed by broadcaster and FareShare supporter James May, who has been a volunteer driver for FareShare’s network partner, The Felix Project, since the pandemic.

James said: “It’s brilliant that someone has walked away with a beautiful house in Cornwall, but the real win here is that this draw has raised a staggering 5.2 million for FareShare. I’ve been behind the wheel delivering food for their network partner, The Felix Project, so I know just how important this support is.

“Instead of going to waste, millions of meals will now end up on the tables of people who really need them and that’s something we can all be proud of. So, congratulations to the lucky winner, and a big thank you to everyone who took part, you’ve helped achieve something genuinely life-changing.”

James Oakes, President of Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is thrilled that Jon has won this spectacular home in Cornwall, whilst also helping to raise an incredible £5.2 Million for FareShare.

“Omaze offers people the chance to win amazing houses, whilst also introducing charities to new audiences that they wouldn't normally reach–it’s a real win-win for entrants and our charity partners. We’re immensely proud that the Omaze Community has now raised over £106 million for good causes across the UK.”

This latest campaign sees Omaze surpass £106 Million raised for its UK charity partners since launching here in 2020. The Omaze community has helped support vital causes across the country and enabled charities to deliver life-changing work.

Draw entries for the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, New Forest, are available now at omaze.co.uk. The Grand Prize Draw closes on Sunday 28th September 2025 for online entries and Tuesday 30th September 2025 for postal entries.

In addition to the Grand Prize, anyone entering by Midnight on Sunday 14th September 2025 (or Tuesday 16th September by post) will also be in with the chance to win an incredible Early Bird Prize: a Mercedes G-Wagon worth over £140,000, plus £100,000 in cash—a combined prize value of over £240,000.

Entrants can also subscribe to Omaze to be automatically entered into every Grand Prize Draw and Omaze Monthly Millionaire Draw each month. Subscribers receive at least five times the number of entries and can cancel at any time.

For full terms and conditions, see www.omaze.co.uk. No purchase necessary to enter. Over 18s and UK residents only.