The Winners
   
                             
   The Winners were probably the luckiest family in Fleetway
   Street. They won everything. No, really, everything. Whatever
   they were doing, like entering competitions, prize draws,
   races, events, quizzes, embarking on assignments,
   answering questions, solving problems - anything at all -
   the Winners would win through. Even when the chips were
   down they'd triumph. They seemed to thrive on adversity,
   and Lady Luck rained down upon them. So it's no lucky
   thing that their surname semed to match their special
   gift so perfectly...

    

    The Winner family first appeared in Jackpot #75. They even
    won themselves a front cover appearance. In their premier
    story, we watched as they gathered together one day and
    entered "every competition going".

    Then came the prizes, and a punch-up. You see, Mrs Winner
    won a year's supply of strawberry yoghurt from the Milkman,
    but his van inadvertently ran into Mr Winner's car. And whilst
    Mr Winner decided to brawl with said Milkman, the kids
    received prize-winning notices of their own: a week's free
    boxing tuition at a training camp, and a week's holiday at
    a celebrity health and beauty farm. Only, Mr Winner
    trumped them all by winning himself a brand new car
    from "The Daily Blurb", plus a year's free petrol!

    Actually, cars were won quite regularly over the years.
    More often than not, the family would spy a flyposter around
    town, advertising a forthcoming event, which they'd duly
    enter and - by some strange twist or turn - they'd win.
    And they entered a host of competitions on tins of beans
    and cereal boxes. Plus, on at least four separate occasions
    they spent a night at a haunted house without realising, and
    thus won still more coveted prizes.

    All those prizes and trophies filled the Winner household
    and caused no end of problems for the foursome.

    Very occassionally the family would get their comeuppance.
    Like when Dad tried birdspotting (27th October 1984).
    But these were very rare occurrences. And just to rub
    our noses in their success Granny Winner would pop up
    from time to time, to prove that winning really was in
    the family (Buster 21st April 1984, 28th July 1984,
    13th October 1984, etc).

    Needless to say, the family earned a few enemies along
    the way, and by 1985 they had started sparring intemittently
    with a check-shirted neighbour. But their differences were
    put to bed by Christmas 1986, when the family won
    themselves a huge festive feast to share with the street.
    And indeed, Mr Check Shirt always seemed to have a
    smile on his face from thereon.

    The Winners' luck held out for a fair few years. They were
    maintained when "Jackpot" merged with "Buster" in 1982
    and they stayed there, right through to the very end of those
    Fleetway days. Mike Lacey and Jimmy Hansen drew the
    strip up to March 1988, when "Anthony" took over...

    

    The longevity of the strip gave rise to some very trendy
    wardrobe changes. By the late 1980's Mrs Winner had
    swopped her big checked dress for zebra-patterned
    leggings, and worse. And one thing's for sure, they'd
    never have won any fashion prizes!

    • In their first appearance, we learn that Mr Winner's
      full name is "John Winner".

    • In the second strip (Jackpot #76) we learn that the
      Winner's young son is called "Tommy"

    • The Winner's daughter is called "Winnie" ( Buster
      9th July 1983, and more).

    • Oh, but pity poor Mrs Winner. She appears to be the loser
      here, because she only ever seems to be called "Mum"!