National Lottery adviser admits biggest drawback to winning multi-million pound jackpot
A National Lottery adviser has revealed the biggest drawback winners have when being one of the lucky few who take home a multi-million-pound prize.
Since the first draw took place in November 1994, the National Lottery has minted over 8,000 millionaires through games such as EuroMillions and Set For Life.
In total, £103billion has been distributed in prize money.
Yet for some, a life-changing jackpot has proved to be anything but a blessing. Callie Rogers, who became Britain’s youngest-ever winner, and Michael Carroll, the refuse collector infamously dubbed the “lotto lout”, both ended up bankrupt after burning through their fortunes.
Marriages have also crumbled under the strain of newfound wealth.
Roger and Lara Griffiths, along with Adrian and Gillian Bayford, are among the couples whose relationships fell apart after scooping enormous jackpots.
Andy Carter has spent two decades advising lottery winners, sharing his expertise with more than 2,500 people who have come into sums ranging from £50,000 to £195,000.
A central part of his job involves helping recipients avoid derailing their lives with their newfound wealth.
A National Lottery adviser has revealed the biggest downfall to winning the prize
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GETTYWhen it comes to why some relationships buckle after a big win, Carter offers a straightforward explanation.
He told the Daily Mail: “Sudden wealth will exaggerate how you are. So if you are very happy in your marriage, you’ll have a lovely time. And if you are having a difficult marriage, it gives you something else to be difficult about.”
In his view, a jackpot does not create marital problems, it simply throws a harsh light on fractures that already exist.
The Bayfords are a stark illustration of this pattern.
Andy Carter has urged against extreme generosity upon winning the prize
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NATIONAL LOTTERYAdrian, a former postman, landed £148million in 2012, at the time, the second largest jackpot in British lottery history.
Their nine-year marriage lasted just 15 months beyond that extraordinary windfall.
They are one of only three couples among the UK’s ten biggest jackpot winners to have gone public, and remarkably, two of those three relationships ended in separation.
Colin and Chris Weir’s story followed a similarly painful trajectory. The couple, from Largs in North Ayrshire, claimed a record £161million in July 2011.
Despite having been together for nearly four decades, they separated eight years after their win. Colin passed away less than a year following the split.
Despite having been together for nearly four decades, they separated eight years after their win. Colin died less than a year following the split.
Mr Carter identifies excessive generosity as the single greatest pitfall for new winners in the immediate aftermath of a payout. When someone close to a winner knows they have come into a fortune, it is only natural for them to ask for help.
To guard against impulsive decisions, National Lottery operator Allwyn now offers a dedicated financial planning service, with specialists who assist winners in mapping out their long-term finances.
Mr Carter notes while a winner may instinctively wish to hand a substantial sum to a child, legal advisers might counsel them to think carefully about whether that is prudent.
He also believes many of those whose lives were wrecked by a jackpot in earlier years likely did not have access to the kind of structured support that exists today.
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