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Original poster

Do you know a lottery winner?

91 replies

PodgeBod · 12/04/2019 23:06

I was just thinking, as I checked my lottery numbers, that given the size of mumsnet a few people should know people who have won jackpots on the lottery or euromillions. So if you know somebody who has won the main prize on the national lottery or euromillions, how have they fared? Was it a "happy ever after"?

OP posts:
LizzieSiddal · 13/04/2019 08:44

Yes a very close relative and his wife got 6 numbers about 20 years ago. They have been very careful and very clever with the money.
and both still work part time, as they loved their jobs before.

I think that’s the key to coping with a lottery win, carry on doing what made you happy before and don’t spend it all at once.

Pinkarsedfly · 13/04/2019 08:46

This is very outing, but I was part of a family syndicate that had a massive rollover win over 20 years ago. I mean massive.

It’s afforded me a very nice life and lots of opportunities.

EleanorLavish · 13/04/2019 08:48

My husband has a good friend who is worth £250 million, and he never has securityGrin!
He and DH get the bus tonplaces and just sit in the pub like everyone else. DH is often mistaken for his security and he is over 6’5” rugby player build. He loves it!

JenniferJareau · 13/04/2019 08:53

One person I know won just under a million. She paid off her parents mortgage, bought herself a house, gave some money to relatives and retrained in what was always her first career choice but she couldn't afford it before.

I heard of someone else who won the lottery, went into HR the next morning to quit their job. The HR person said 'you can't just quit, you have to give notice', lottery winner just smiled and said 'watch me' and she walked out the door.

SussexBonfireViking · 13/04/2019 08:56

12 years ago I won 1,336 (I think) and was really excited *online
It was for 5 numbers, so I was glad I knew how much , before getting 5 numbers and imagining paying off the mortgage etc

regmover · 13/04/2019 09:10

Yes, they are very quiet about it but I worked it out. Really thrilled for them because some years before they were screwed over by a business partner and had some very tough times as a result. Now they live the dream.

HavelockVetinari · 13/04/2019 09:16

@Pinkarsedfly did it cause any strife with family members who weren't in the syndicate?

Accountant222 · 13/04/2019 09:18

Yes sadly I know of one, bought the 4 building plots in the garden next door to us.

What an horrendous experience, from the build, to him and all his relatives moving in. Absolute set of pigs.

HoraceCope · 13/04/2019 09:26

£86 on 4 numbers, bought a TV Grin, we had moved and managed without for 6 months
]

Dramatical · 13/04/2019 10:01

I don't know but know of a couple who were huge EuroMillions winners. Wrecked their marriage and tore her family apart.

My Auntie won just under 100k about 20 years ago. She kept working, kept her car, didn't change her type of holiday or anything. It literally went into the bank and she has never made a huge purchase.

DeadDoorpost · 13/04/2019 10:13

My dad got 5 numbers on the lottery over 10 years ago. He never said how much he got but it allowed him to move away from a bad relationship and come and live closer to his children. Was the only time he did the lottery, out of sheer desperation to get out. 5 figures he says he got. I'm guessing not the high end of 5 figures though

HoraceCope · 13/04/2019 10:17

i remember listening to a jeremy vine radio programme years ago where it was said you needed to win at least £7 million to give up work, but that could have changed now

HoraceCope · 13/04/2019 10:18

imagine if you won so much money but couldnt go on your dream holiday because your work wouldnt let you take annual leave? Grin

TotheletterofthelawTHELETTER · 13/04/2019 10:27

My Mam’s neighbours won £2.5million about 15 years ago. They moved house but not far. Gave a lot to their 2 children. He gave up work but she went part-time as she loved her job.
It caused a massive rift in their family though. Money was given to their 3 nieces/nephew too but the nephew kept asking for more and more which led to a huge falling out between them all.

Pinkarsedfly · 13/04/2019 10:39

Havelock no, it didn’t, perhaps surprisingly.

Horsemad · 13/04/2019 14:02

PodgeBod, they have cameras everywhere & electric gates etc.

chickenalapesh · 13/04/2019 14:13

I know someone who won 1.2 million a couple of years ago. They bought a house outright and go on mega holidays. Both still work.

AlexaAmbidextra · 13/04/2019 14:34

Yes, my cousin. It was the early days of the lottery and he won just under £9 million. He bought a big house, gave £1m to his brother, had a custom built car etc. He had married late in life and his wife had a grown up DS and DD. He gave them each a cheque for £500k. DS looked at the amount, said it wasn’t enough so cousin snatched the cheque back and the ungrateful sod got nothing. DD promptly gave up work and moved in to the big new house. Cousin invested the rest wisely and doubled his win over the years. He and his wife live happily afaik, despite her freeloading kids, and go on lots of luxury holidays.

glastogal · 13/04/2019 14:50

My parents' friends won the jackpot years ago, I think it was £1.5m ish. They were well off anyway but I think they bought their daughter a house and invested some in race horses. They are still friends with my bonkers parents so I guess they haven't changed a great deal!!

tenbob · 13/04/2019 14:53

2!
One syndicate of regulars at a pub I worked in as a student
They each got about £100k

And a bloke I used to work with who won just under a million and spent it on a really gaudy house but carried on working in the same job and didn’t tell many people about the wine.
He now spends a lot of time posting rants on Facebook about freeloaders and spongers who expect something for nothing, vs hard-working grafters who get forgotten by the government
I sometimes wonder which category he puts himself into

ManorMouse · 13/04/2019 17:22

I've met a few lottery millionaires.

About 20 years ago a friend of a friend won 5 or 6 million. He bought the mutual friend a car and paid for the renovation of their house. He helped set up anther mutual friend in a business that's still going strong today. I was the recipient of his good fortune a few times by being taken out for dinner or a night in the pub having all my drinks bought for me. He frittered away most of his winnings but, thanks to a helpful accountant, managed to buy a nice house and put some money in investment portfolios before he'd gone and spent the lot.

Around the Millennium, a friend of my brother's father won about 3 million. The family was already at war with itself and the lottery win only made it worse. Those who'd sided with dad did well out of it but those who sided with mum got a token pittance. My brother's friend was on the winning side so got a house out of it.

About 10 years ago, a woman I worked with, albeit in a different department, won about 5 million. She had to leave work as a majority of her colleagues resented her good fortune as "Waaaah! She's already well off with a nice house and a fancy car! It's not fair!" The notion of it being, oh I don't know, some sort of a lottery seemed to be lost on them. Anyone who stood up for the lottery winner was accused of sucking up to her to get a handout. I left myself soon afterwards as I didn't fancy working with such a shower of miserable bastards.

StandardPoodle · 13/04/2019 18:41

A couple near me won several million. They go on holidays all the time , have a Mercedes etc but I get the impression it has caused issues within the extended family.

NotMyUsualTopBilling · 13/04/2019 18:47

Yes. I know one. No, he didn't get his happy ever after.

Won young, squandered the cash and now works a seasonal minimum pay job to make ends meet.

Rather humble bloke though, he got a lot of bad press and obviously has a few regrets about that part of his life but has some fond memories of it too. I think it's made him appreciate what he has now!

HorseOutside · 13/04/2019 18:47

Someone who lives local to me had a massive win some years ago. They live in a palatial property, have constant security & are rarely seen out. I don't think they have much of a life at all now. If it was me I'd never have gone public.

HoldMyGirl · 13/04/2019 18:50

A friend's brother won a couple of million (they never disclosed how much) he lives an extremely modest lifestyle, but paid his sibling's mortgages and bought his parents a new house.

My SIL's EXh (after they divorced) won something like £300,000. He bought a property and lives a very frugal lifestyle, from the rental income.