People often fantasise about winning the lottery, but once the winning numbers line up, what exactly do they do with the receiving the lotto winnings?
Here, we’ll take a look at some of the most peculiar, offbeat, and downright extravagant purchases made by lottery winners, ranging from investing in their favourite sports teams to indulging in unusual personal desires.
So, buckle up for a fascinating ride that explores the limitless boundaries of the human imagination fueled by a lottery jackpot!
The Weirdest Things Ever Bought with Lotto Winnings
1. Scoring Goals with the Local Football Team
Colin Weir, a EuroMillions winner, spent a chunk of his £161 million fortune on his local Partick Thistle Football Club. After investing £2.5 million and rescuing the club from financial turmoil, Weir even got their youth academy named after him. Recently, he took a step back due to a potential takeover, but his contribution to the club remains transformational.
2. A Spirited Whiskey Endeavour
Peter Lavery, after pocketing a cool $17.7m, took a slightly unconventional path. Instead of buying drinks for everyone, he invested $5m into his own whiskey business. While it may not be every lottery winner’s first thought, his decision proved fruitful, with the distillery still turning a profit.
3. Dancing on Cloud Nine
Imagine using your winnings to regain a lost passion. Greta and Tony Dodd did precisely that when they won $3.4 million and spent a portion on brand-new knees! Joint problems had stolen Greta’s ability to dance, but with their newfound wealth, the couple was able to return to the dance floor, a beautiful reminder that true wealth often lies within.
4. The Lawn Becomes a Race Track
Young, reckless, and $18m richer, 19-year-old Michael Carroll decided to create his personal race track in his back garden. His lavish lifestyle and wild spending eventually cost him his fortune, reducing him back to a regular guy. The teen’s tale is a harsh reminder that sudden wealth can lead to extravagant, and sometimes regrettable, decisions.
5. Rockstar Dreams and Shattered Reality
The story of Roger Griffiths, who won $3.2m, is a classic tale of dreams turned sour. Rather than seeking a peaceful life, Roger aimed to revive his college band and top the charts, investing $30,000 in this venture. Unfortunately, poor business decisions and relationship troubles led him to bankruptcy and divorce, proving that not every dream has a happy ending.
6. Property Portfolio in Outer Space
For David Copeland, a million-dollar lottery win wasn’t enough to quench his thirst for the extraordinary. He aimed for the stars, literally! He spent an undisclosed amount buying land on the Moon, Mars, and Venus. While he may have a challenge finding a builder, he certainly has an out-of-this-world property portfolio!
7. Poker-Playing Millionaire
Evelyn Adams, a two-time lottery winner, didn’t just stop at the lottery. Her game of choice was poker. Despite winning the lottery twice, Adams has burned through her fortune at the poker tables in Atlantic City. While the thrill of the game continues to lure her, she’s a living testament to the saying, ‘Easy come, easy go’.
8. The High-Stakes Race
Lottery winner Keith Gough lived the high life, buying luxury cars and gifting his gardener $90,000. However, it was the purchase of a quarter-million-dollar racehorse that led him down a path of financial ruin. His tale reminds us of that lottery winnings, like racehorses, can be unpredictable and challenging to manage.
9. Uplifting Family Bonds
21-year-old Sarah Cockings won $4 million and did what any loving sister would do – she shared her winnings. But her sharing was a little more unique; she treated her sisters and herself to plastic surgery, specifically, breast augmentation. The unusual gift left her sisters feeling over the moon and more bonded than ever.
10. Sparks of Joy
Lastly, we have Debbie Mather, a $6 million lottery winner who turned a childhood love for fireworks into a business. She invested part of her winnings in setting up her own fireworks factory, thus reliving her childhood memories while creating a business that brings joy to others.
This roller-coaster journey into the world of lottery winners and their eccentric purchases gives us a glimpse into the unexplored, unexpected, and sometimes bizarre routes that sudden wealth can lead to. However, these stories also serve as a reminder that while winning the lottery might seem like a ticket to the easy life, it also comes with its fair share of challenges, and decisions.