Three years ago, John Gallagher won a £1.2 million EuroMillions jackpot and it changed his life, but not for the better. He could spend the next five years of his life behind bars because of a bar brawl in which he seriously injured a patron, leaving him permanently disfigured. Despite the lottery results being in John’s favor, it seems he has not been fortunate.
John’s drinking problem goes back many years before he picked the winning lotto numbers. Last year he found himself in trouble with the authorities when he attacked two men with a hammer and dog chain in the Clippens Inn in Linnwood, Renfrewshire. After that, he used his EuroMillions winnings to buy himself a log cabin in Wemyss Bay, 22 miles away. He has yet to be sentenced because the letter detailing his appointment hasn’t been delivered.
Unfortunately, stories such as John’s are not unusual. Big US Powerball winners have also been known to squander their winnings and end up broke or in trouble with the law. It’s easy to assume that wealth changes people for the worse. But the reality is that some of those lucky enough to pick the winning lotto numbers may already have problems, and winning a huge lottery jackpot doesn’t always make your problems disappear.
You need to be very level-headed to deal with the pressure that a life-changing sum of money can bring. Most experts agree that it’s best to seek the advice of lawyers and financial advisors should the lottery results put you in this position. With sound advice and a long term goal, you’ll be able to spend your winnings wisely and stay out of trouble.
For many, playing the lotto online is a bit of harmless fun. It’s nice to daydream about a millionaire lifestyle, but the reality is not always that glamourous. Thankfully, the winners of the biggest lottery in history, the Powerball jackpot that reached a staggering $1.5 billion, seem to be very down to earth. It was only recently that the owners of the third winning ticket stepped forward to claim their share.
Six months after the historic Powerball lottery was finally won, Marvin and Mae Acosta approached the state lottery office. They’d taken the time to consult with a variety of experts and ended up donating the majority of their windfall to charities and a trust. It’s hard to imagine that anyone could be aware of what the lottery results mean and not go rushing off to claim their prize. But it happens more often than you think.
Chris and Colin Weir from Scotland stand out as two EuroMillions winners with real hearts of gold. After winning a massive £121 million jackpot in 2011, they went on to establish the Weir Charitable Trust. They may have been lucky enough to pick the winning lotto numbers, but it’s their local community that has benefitted the most from their win. They did splash out on a magnificent Scottish mansion for themselves, but you can’t help thinking that they deserve it.
Some winners have the best intentions, but things still don’t work out for them. Take the example of Andrew ‘Jack’ Whittaker. He won the Powerball jackpot in 2002 and walked away with a cash lump sum of $170.5 million. He was excited about all the good he could do with such a big win. But later, he went through a divorce, his granddaughter died under mysterious circumstances and he started drinking heavily. It seems that the lottery results made his life worse, not better.
These stories shouldn’t put you off playing the lotto online though. If you learn from other winners, you can avoid making mistakes should you be lucky enough to win a big jackpot. Winning a huge amount on lottery games like EuroJackpot or Mega Millions can be amazing! That kind of money makes it possible for you to live the life of your dreams without worrying about how to pay for it all.
And it gives you the opportunity to help family, friends and less fortunate people in your community. Sometimes, helping others is an unexpected gift the lottery results give to winners. Whether John will be able to use his EuroMillions winnings to avoid jail remains to be seen. Hopefully, he’ll find a way to turn his life around and make the most of his good fortune.
A jackpot can be a blessing or a curse; it all depends on your attitude. Winning the lottery should change your life, but it shouldn’t change who you are as a person. So while you’re figuring out what numbers to play in the upcoming Powerball draw, take a moment to really think about how you would handle winning the jackpot. Then cross your fingers and hope for the best.
