Top 10 Lottery Winners Who Lost It All
Money and riches come and go, and it seems that not even lottery jackpots are an exception to the rule. While many lottery winners end up losing a large part of their winnings, these 10 lotto millionaires have managed to go broke. In this article, we will tell you about some of the biggest lottery winners of all time, and definitely some of the most notorious, who eventually blew their fortunes away and lost it all.
Top 10 Lottery Winners Who Lost It All
10 – Callie Rogers
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Known worldwide as Britain’s youngest lottery winner, Callie Rogers won a staggering £1.9 million in the EuroMillions back in 2003 at the age of 16. At the moment, she only has about £2,000 pounds left in her bank account, but she claims she has never been happier. Her lottery fortune catapulted her into a life of partying and drug use, which eventually led her to make a series of unwise decisions. Now, she has a son and partner she is in love with and she is training to be a nursing professional. While her millions may be gone, Callie seems to have gotten her happily ever after nonetheless.
9 – Michael Carroll
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Clearly one of the most notorious lottery winners of all time, Michael Carroll has successfully spent nearly £10 million since his win in 2002 and he has even earned a nickname in the gossip magazines. Michael “Lotto lout” Carroll has done it all, from wild parties to flashy cars and all the way to getting arrested. When his millions ran out in 2010, he got back his old job as a garbage man. But Mr Carroll has no regrets about his lottery turnout. He says that he got to do everything he has ever dreamt of, which is a very valuable achievement in his book.
8 – Jonathan “Jay” Vargas
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Yet another young lottery millionaire, Jonathan Vargas won $35.3 million in the US Powerball lottery in 2008. He was only 19 at the time and his plans for his money predicted a steady future for the young winner. However, it seems that Mr Vargas has since strayed quite a bit from his initial plans, as he ended up producing a somewhat racy all-female wrestling TV show called “Wrestlicious”. Unfortunately for him, this was his major investment, and when the show plummeted at the box office, so did Jay’s fortune.
7 – David Lee Edward
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Mr Edward served time in jail after robbing a gas station, but his luck changed in 2001 when he won $21 million by playing US Powerball. His lotto fortune only lasted for five years, during which he made his wildest dreams come true. No car was too expensive and no party was too wild for Mr Edward, but his drug addiction ended up costing him not only his fortune but eventually his life. His story is now a cautionary tale for all lottery winners out there.
6 – Suzanne Mullins
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Ms Mullins won $4.2 million in the Virginia Lottery back in 1993 and she split her jackpot with her husband. She was initially supposed her lottery money in annual instalments of $47,778, but in 2000, she collected the remaining part of her jackpot in a lump payment. Sadly, this was not enough to pay off the debt she had made over the years, and her millions still left her $154,147 in debt.
5 – Lara and Robert Griffith
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he Griffiths won close to £1.8 million in the lottery, which is more than enough for any couple to build a life from. However, Lara and Robert’s luck seemed to have run out after their lotto win, as they have lost everything in just a few years. Their luxury home burnt down, Robert’s Porsche went missing, and soon enough the Griffiths got divorced. At the moment, Robert is reported to have about £7 in his bank account and to take a handout from his parents on a regular basis.
4 – Billie Bob Harrell Jr.
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Billie Bob Harrell Jr.’s lottery story is both sad and shocking. He won a whopping $31 million in the Lotto Texas back in 1997, but the pressure of being a millionaire seemed too much for him. He bought a ranch and several properties, donated a significant amount to his church, and lent money to all the family members and friends who asked him for help. By 1999, Mr Harrell had spent all of his fortunes and he eventually took his own life.
3 – Sharon Tirabassi
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Mrs Tirabassi won CAD$10.5 million in 2004 and began living the lottery life. She went on exotic vacations with all of her friends, bought numerous cars and a luxury home, and got married. However, her new lifestyle seemed unsustainable, as it all began to unravel as she lost most of her lottery fortune. At the moment, her husband is in jail due to a DUI, and she has a part-time job to support her children.
2 – Lou Eisenberg
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Yet another lottery legend, Lou Eisenberg won $5 million in 1981, which was the largest lotto payout at the time. Luckily for him, he got his lottery money in 20 $120,000 annual payouts. By the time he got his last check, which was in 2001, Mr Eisenberg had spent his entire fortune. At the moment, the 81-year-old Eisenberg lives in a mobile home and collects benefits and pension. His story is one of the most infamous ones in lottery history, but he says that he has absolutely no regret for “living in the now”.
1 – Lisa Arcand
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Lisa Arcand won a $1 million prize in the Massachusetts lottery back in 2004. After that, she used her lottery money to buy a house and splurged on expensive vacations, which did not leave her with much. She then used the money she had left to open a restaurant, but unfortunately for her, it was not the success she had hoped. A few years later, she closed down the restaurant, which left her with almost no money at all.
As you can see, no matter how large a lottery jackpot is, it can run out if it is not handled properly. Initially, a lottery jackpot seems to be enough for an entire lifetime, but not for an unlimited amount to support a luxury lifestyle. As these 10 lottery millionaires have shown, reckless spending and an unsustainable lifestyle can lead to bankruptcy.
