15 Of The Dumbest Things Lottery Winners Have Spent Their Money On

History Bizarre Lifestyle Money

It can be extremely overwhelming going from being broke to being a millionaire. For these people, it was so staggering that they made some of the most impulsive spending decisions you’ll ever see. If there’s one thing that you can do besides fall into a pleasant state of daydreaming yourself, it’s to learn from these people’s wildly impulsive decisions.

1. Michael Carroll Built A Race Track In His Back Yard

Two race cars approach a corner on a racetrack lined with greenery and safety barriers. The car in front is red with the number 3, followed by a blue car with the number 60. A cone is positioned on the edge of the track.
pexels.com

Year: 2002
Winnings: $18 million

Michael Carrol won the lottery for $18 million. What do you buy when you’re 19 and win the lottery? Building your own personal racetrack sounds like a good choice. On top of the track he bought a plethora of expensive sports cars to drive on it.

2. David Copeland Bought Land On The Moon

Black and white high-resolution photograph of the Moon, showing rugged surface details including craters and varied surface textures. The image appears to be taken from close proximity, capturing the intricate lunar landscape.
archives new zealand/flickr cc by

Year: 2000
Winnings: 1 Million

David Copeland won $1 million. He thought the best way to spend these earnings was to buy land on the Moon, Mars, and Venus. Today, he still works and lives a frugal lifestyle.

3. Debbie Mather Created Her Own Firework Business

A burst of colorful fireworks illuminates the night sky, with streaks of yellow, orange, red, green, and purple radiating outward. The vibrant display creates a dazzling pattern of light against the dark backdrop.
chris/flickr cc by

Year: 2005
Winnings: $6 Million

Debbie Mather won $6 million. She used the winnings to buy a fireworks factory and fulfill her childhood dream of watching the sky fill with fireworks. Today, the factory is still running, and the company is still in business.

4. Denise Rossi Hid Her Winnings And Lost Them All

A wooden gavel rests on its sounding block next to a sign that reads "DIVORCE COURT" on a wooden surface.
Nick Youngson/Thebluediamondgallery.com cc by-sa

Year: 1996
Winnings: $1.3 Million

Denise Rossi won the lottery for $1.3 million in 1996, and instead of telling her husband, she decided to hide it from him and try to divorce him without disclosing that she had won. Her husband found out that she won, and when it came out in court, Denise lost the entirety of her winnings and had to give them all to her husband. That’s some serious karma.

5. David Lee Edwards Was Rich One Day And Broke The Next

A luxurious mansion with a modern design featuring large windows and a well-manicured lawn. In the driveway are four luxury cars, including a black Rolls Royce, a yellow sports car, a black sports car, and a white Bentley. Trees and plants surround the house.
pauchok/goodfon.com

Year: 2001
Winnings: $27 Million

David Lee Edwards won the Powerball for 27 million Dollars. Directly after he won, this dumb dumb bought two homes: one for 1.6 Million and another for just over $600,000. But his spending didn’t stop there. He also bought a Lamborghini, a private jet, and a $35,000 golf cart. Needless to say, he was broke just five years later.

6. Andrew J. Whittaker Lost $545 Thousand From Being Brainless

Close-up of a person attempting to break into a car using a screwdriver to manipulate the car's door handle. The individual is wearing a grey, long-sleeved shirt and the car is silver.
Capitol Benefits llc

Year: 2002
Winnings: $314 Million

Andrew Whittaker won an astounding $314 million in 2002 and gambled more than half of it away. But this wasn’t the worst case of him losing money. He loved having huge chunks of cash in his car so bad, that he was robbed for $545 thousand. Four years later, his fortune was gone.

7. Luke Pittard Blew All His Money On One Trip

A scenic view of a coastal town with a mix of buildings, beaches, and green fields. The shoreline curves, leading to a harbor with boats, while the turquoise ocean contrasts with the rocky cliffs and mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
Tamara K/Wikimedia Commons cc by-sa

Year: 2006
Winnings: $1.9 Million

Luke Pittard won the lottery for $1.9 million in 2006. He used his winnings to go to the Canary islands, pay for a wedding, and buy a house. Less than 2 years after he won, he was working at McDonalds flipping burgers.

8. Vivian Nicholson Blew 152,000 Pounds On Clothes

A storefront of a Gucci retail store with large glass windows displaying handbags and accessories. The store's name "Gucci" is prominently featured in large gold letters above the entrance. Reflections of buildings and a street scene are visible in the glass.
barockschloss/flickr cc by

Year: 1961
Winnings: $152,000

Vivian Nicholson won 152,300 pounds through one of Britain’s football pools. She spent years after this filling her closet with designer clothes. After she blew her fortune, she became a Jehovah’s witness.

9. Callie Rogers Won $3 Million But Was Too Young To Manage It

A crowd of people is silhouetted against a series of bright red and white lights at a concert or music event. The atmosphere is energetic with people raising their hands and the stage lights cutting through smoke or fog.
Iritza Haider/Wikimedia Commons cc by-sa

Year: 2003
Winnings: $3 Million

16 year old Callie Rogers won $3 million. A few years later, she married a bum and had 2 kids with him. After this, her money was spent on partying, and buying gifts for her family and friends. Today she is on the verge of bankruptcy.

10. Collin Weir Bought A Sports Team

Two soccer players wearing black and red shorts, respectively, tussling for control of a soccer ball on a grassy field. Both players are in motion, with one wearing black socks and the other red socks and blue shoes. The ball has a star pattern.
flooy/freerangestock.com

Year: 2019
Winnings: $161 Million

Collin Weir won 161 million pounds from EuroMillions. His first big purchase was Partick Thistle Football Club, which cost him 2.5 million pounds. But the team has been bailed out of financial turmoil plenty of times, costing Weir millions.

11. Peter Lavery Bought A Whiskey Business

A bottle of Titanic Distillers Irish whiskey stands next to its black cylindrical packaging. A small box, containing a glass etched with a ship, is also placed beside the bottle. The background shows a blurred outdoor scene through a window.
benji0514/reddit

Year: 1996
Winnings: $17.7 Million

Peter Lavery won $17.7 million in 1996. His first purchase was a $5 million whiskey business that was slow running, but fortunately for Peter, the business turned into a good decision. The company he bought (Titanic Distillers) is making a serious profit, even to this day.

12. Evelyn Adams Lost Her Money Betting It Away

A room with slot machines and chairs
1-5 design in manufacture/flickr cc by-nc-nd

Year: 1986-86
Winnings: $6 Million

Evelyn Adams won the lottery twice! She won in 1985 and 1986 for a whopping $6 million. But her love of poker was too strong. She lost all of her money at the casinos of Atlantic City.

13. Keith Gough Put His Trust Into A Racehorse

A jockey in a blue uniform and helmet rides a dark-coloured horse marked with the number 7 on a dirt racetrack. The horse is mid-stride, and a blurred scoreboard can be seen in the background.
MJ Boswel/Wikimedia Commons cc by

Year: 2005
Winnings: $11 Million

Keith Gough won the lottery for $11 million. On top of giving his gardener $90,000 he bought more than a quarter million dollars worth of race horses. This reckless spending, on top of his obsession with cars, ultimately led to him losing everything.

14. Sarah Cockings Got Herself And Her Sisters An Expensive Upgrade

Close-up image of several transparent silicone breast implants placed on a blue cloth surface. The implants vary in shape and size, with a textured surface that scatters light, giving a frosted appearance.
Docteur Spitaller Phillippe/Flickr cc by-sa

Year: 2005
Winnings: $4 Million

Sarah Cockings won the lottery for $4 million and wanted to spend it on her sisters. Sarah got herself and each of her sisters $10,000 breast implants. That’s one way to say “I love you guys.”

15. John And Linda Kutey Wanted A Waterpark In Memory Of Their Parents

A vibrant water park featuring three winding water slides—red, orange, and yellow—plunging into a swimming pool. People are enjoying the slides and swimming in the pool. Tubes are stacked nearby, and the area is surrounded by greenery and buildings.
battle creek cvb/Wikimedia Commons cc by

Year: 2011
Winnings: $28.7 Million

John and Linda won a $319 million Jackpot and got paid out $28.7 million to share. They immediately opened up a waterpark in memory of their parents. The waterpark cost close to $250,000 and is still up today.

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