EVERYONE who buys a lottery ticket has the same hope - that it could be them.

But people living in the Southampton area appear to have a better chance than most.

The SO postcode has been named one of the luckiest in the country, with a dozen new lottery winners in the last two years alone.

Southampton ranks 11th in Britain for the number of new millionaires in the last two years, with 12 new people joining the National Lottery club in that time.

And it is not just big winners who are feeling the benefits of the lucky postcode area. In the last two years, 23 players in Southampton have celebrated a win of £50,000 or more - almost one per month.

Just last week Geoff and Judith Coombes from Sarisbury Green banked £1million in the Lotto Millionaire Raffle.

They will enjoy a golden retirement as a result, with Geoff celebrating the jackpot with a new lawnmower and the couple set to jet off on holiday in Barbados - but in economy class.

Robert and Mandy Rich, from Southampton, are also among those lucky SO residents after scooping £2.4million in September 2015.

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Mr Rich said: "Since the win we have been able to enjoy a more relaxed quality of family life, enjoy some great holidays in the sun and make plans for a secure future. I genuinely never thought it could happen to someone like me, seems I was wrong on that score!

"Here’s hoping Southampton keeps charging up the rankings so more people can enjoy this experience."

Since the launch of the National Lottery 37 millionaires have been made in the SO area which is more than one per year.

On top of that 387 top tier prizes of at least £50,000 have been banked by players in the Southampton postcode.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor for the National Lottery, said: "The Southampton postcode area includes some beautiful scenery and vibrant, and in some cases historic, towns and cities such as Southampton, Winchester, Brockenhurst, Lymington and Romsey so in many ways residents are already lucky to live in this postcode.

"With a very lucrative two years under their Lottery winner belt, they now have another reason to celebrate.

"There are now a massive 4,250 National Lottery millionaires across the country and with more than six new millionaires made every week there is likely to be another local winner very soon."

The lottery is also helping good causes in the area with 31 grants worth £6,182,392 distributed to National Lottery funded projects in Southampton in 2015.