Euromillions jackpot winners Colin and Chris Weir have just donated £500 000 to the Partick Youth Academy. The Weirs made headlines in 2011 when they won a £161 million Euromillions jackpot. Since then they’ve used their money to support local charities and projects in their native home of Scotland.
It often happens that you only hear about lottery winners on two occasions. When they win a life-changing amount of money—and when they lose it.
But the Weirs have defied the stereotype to prove that not all jackpot winners eventually become losers. It’s clear that this couple enjoys using their good fortune to help others.
Shortly after winning the jackpot they used £750 000 to set up the Thistle Weir Youth Academy. It provides youngsters from Partick Thistle with the support training and guidance to succeed at the national level in football. And so far the project has been a success. Three players from the Academy have made it into the first team set up and the Thistle Weir ladies team are currently top of their league. Chris and Colin’s recent donation will ensure that the project can continue for another five years.
It seems the Weirs have discovered the joy of giving and aren’t going to stop anytime soon. They also established The Weir Charitable Foundation in 2013. The charity focuses on health, sport, cultural, recreational and animal welfare projects. They accept applications from groups, individuals and charities four times a year. The only provision being that the projects are based in and benefit the people of Scotland.
While the couple appreciated the fact that they were in a position to help others, the foundation has allowed them to do this in a more structured manner. That’s not to say they didn’t enjoy spending a bit of their winnings on themselves. Shortly after their big win they purchased a £3.5 million mansion in Troon, Scotland. They even paid extra to keep all the fittings and furnishings in the house.
Located just 25miles away from their former residence, the beautiful sandstone mansion features a 36 000 piece crystal chandelier and billiards room with fireplace. It has four main bedrooms which overlook 32 acres of lush grounds including fountains, greenhouses and a market garden.
At no point did Colin and Chris ever attempt to hide the news of their big win. Although they did take a break after their win, they didn’t escape to any exotic, sun-drenched beaches. They simply went to Brighton on the south coast of England. Realising that a little time away would make it easier for them to work through the big decisions they now faced.
Their generosity was extended to family and friends to as they gifted homes and purchased what can only be described as a fleet of cars. Chris has been using some of their winnings to travel and even booked a cruise on the luxurious Queen Elizabeth. It’s clear to see that this couple have struck the perfect balance between enjoying their money, using it to help their close family and friends and giving back to their community.
At the time of winning the Weir’s collected the biggest Euromillions jackpot in history. Since then, another 22 winning tickets have been drawn with the most of winners coming from the UK, Spain, Portugal and France. Chris and Colin’s win still puts in them among the top 15 largest Euromillions winners in history.
Nine European countries currently participate in the Euromillions with draws taking place every Tuesday and Friday. However, thanks to online lottery ticket concierge services, people from all over the world have a chance to take part in the lottery. The jackpot starts at a minimum of €15 million and rolls over if no winner is drawn. Once it hits €190 million, the prize is capped and held at that level for two draws. If there’s still no winner, this money is split amongst winners at the next level.
The last time someone won the €190 million jackpot was way back in October 2014. An anonymous ticket holder from Portugal walked away with the grand prize after the jackpot had rolled over six times.
To make the game even more exciting, Euromillions introduced the Superdraw in 2007. It offers a guaranteed jackpot of €100 million and is held from time to time to celebrate anniversaries or special occasions. It works in the same way the regular jackpot in that it rolls over if there are no winners drawn until it reaches a cap of €190 million.
Colin and Chris were thrilled with their big and win and while it could have spelled the end for this couple (as it has for many others); they’ve approached it with a good attitude and a generous heart. Lotteries like the Euromillions always have the potential to change lives, but it’s lovely to see how this couple have used it to benefit so many people.
