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Many people wish they could win a lottery jackpot, but they should think twice about what they wish for. Many lottery winners lost it all and whose lives got even worse than their initial state. Broken marriages, poverty, loss of property, unhealthy friendships, and death became inevitable consequences of winning a lottery.

Nobody wants to be broke. Imagine you win a lottery today and no longer have to worry about money ever again. It sounds great that way, but the sad story happens a few years later when you are declared bankrupt.

23 lottery winners who lost it all

Are you dreaming of winning a lottery someday? While the thought of it is exhilarating, lacking financial discipline may end up ruining your life for good. Unfortunately, this happened to real people, and here is what happened.

1. Alex Toth

In 1990, Alex Toth was awarded $13 million by the Florida Lottery. He decided to take the money in instalments, perhaps to control himself from wasteful spending. Alex, together with his wife Rhoda, lived a luxurious life. They travelled a lot and met with their favourite celebrities across the United States. Oprah Winfrey is one of the celebrities they met.

2. Andrew Jackson Whittaker

Many lottery winners lost their millions through lavish lifestyles. This was true for the Virginia native, Whittaker, who won $314.9 million in 2002. He won the biggest single-person lottery. The Powerball multi-state lottery gave him a lump-sum payment of $113 million, which he used for investments, and he gave massive amounts to charities.

3. David Lee Edwards

If you have ever heard a past lottery winners story, then you will be able to answer why lottery winners lose it all? Edwards won the Powerball jackpot amounting to $27 million in 2002.

He immediately spent the money on drinking sprees, bought luxury and expensive cars, and lived in a big mansion, among other spendings.

4. Willie Hurt

Willie Hurt landed on a $3.1 million Super Lotto jackpot in Michigan in 1989. What followed immediately after the big win was a series of unpleasant stories in his life.

His marriage was ruined, he was charged with attempted murder, and he was denied the privilege to care for his kids. He spent his money on drugs, and within two years, he was bankrupt.

5. Callie Rogers

At the age of 16, Callie became Britain’s youngest big lottery winner. She won $2.2 million in 2003. That was a big win for a 16-year old. But the sad story was how she spent the money. She used them for cosmetic surgery, partying, holidays, drugs, and lists.

She even attempted to take her life three times. By 2013, she only had $2,580 in her bank. Don't be surprised; she was not the first biggest lottery winner to go broke.

6. Denise Rossi

In 1996, Rossi won $1.3 million in the California Lottery. Unfortunately, she did not disclose the good news to her husband, with whom she was married for 25 years. Instead, she hurriedly filed for divorce, citing unhappiness in their marriage.

7. Lisa Arcand

A $1 million lottery prize is not a lot of money, especially after taxes. Nevertheless, Lisa won the 2004 Massachusetts lottery and spent the prize on holidays and for business. Though the lottery winnings were not that much, Lisa still wanted to experience what other giant lottery winners experience; an expensive lifestyle. A few years later, she was broke and was forced to close her restaurant business. She finally admitted that her lottery experience has been depressing.

8. Gerald Muswagon

The Canadian, who won the $ 10 million jackpot in 1998, spent his money on an expensive lifestyle costing his life. He bought a fleet of luxury cars for his family and friends; he bought a huge house which he converted to a “party club”.

Gerald needed to maintain his lifestyle, which he could no longer do as his jackpot money had finished. He had nothing to support his girlfriend and six children; hence he resorted to a minimum wage job. Finally, seven years after his incredible luck, he committed suicide.

9. Michael Carroll

Michael Carrol won a $14.4 million lottery in 2002 when he was only 19 years. He was a garbage collector at the time, and perhaps he can be described as one of the rags to riches lottery winners.

Like any other giant lottery winner, Carrol went crazy; he relocated to a mansion, was addicted to alcohol and drugs, and bought gold jewellery. He continued his lifestyle, and by 2012, Carroll was broke, taken to prison many times, and forced to work in a slaughterhouse where he was making about $500 in a week.

10. Keith Gough

Imagine someone winning a lottery worth $11 million, and the following story you hear is suicide. How many lottery winners go bankrupt and still would collect themselves up and start life afresh? Keith won $11 million with a British lottery.

11. John McGuinness

A football fan and a hospital porter, McGuinness won $16.3 million in 1997. However, he did not think about tomorrow, so he spent his money to buy a soccer club for $4.9 million.

The soccer club later became a burden to him as he was having lots of debts to pay. He spent the remaining amount paying debts, and in the end, he barely had anything to buy food for himself. By 2009, he was bankrupt.

12. John Roberts

In 1998, Roberts won $5.1 million on the UK National Lottery. He, however, did not live an expensive life as much, but he spent his money on supercars and business. Many of his business investments were suspicious, one being the money-pit pub.

13. Vivian Nicholson

She used the lottery money to buy a new expensive car every six months. She bought the best designer dresses she could get, and she went on vacation. She won $3.5 million in 1961, and by 1970, Vivian was bankrupt.

14. Janite Lee

Lee won $18 million from the Illinois lottery in 1993. She initially worked in a wig shop, and she was an immigrant from South Korea in the US. Lee's life and that of her family changed immediately. She bought a mansion in St. Louis for her family; she gave $1 million to the Washington University School of Law.

15. Roger Griffiths

Rogers won $2.1 million in 2005 in the Lotto. He spent the money to purchase a home, bought a Porsche convertible and a Lexus. He continued with his expensive lifestyle, but after six years, he took the Porsche and disappeared.

16. Pete Kyle

He won $9.8 million in 2005 on the UK National Lottery. But, unfortunately, he invested his money in bad investments, which disadvantaged him. As a result, Kyle finally lost his money, and by 2008, he was claiming unemployment benefits in the UK.

17. Evelyn Basehore

Evelyn was one of the luckiest women as she won big money twice in a short time. In 1985, she won a $3.9 million Pick-6 lottery game and shortly another $1.4 million. But, unfortunately, she spent her prizes on bad investments, gifts to family and friends, and gambling in casinos.

18. Ibi Roncaioli

Her husband poisoned a lottery winner after he discovered Ibi had a child outside marriage. She won a $5 million Lotto prize in 1991, in which she gave out $2 million to her secret child. Her husband, a gynaecologist, was jailed for manslaughter, but she asked for help from Ibi's family to take care of her funeral expenses.

19. Marva Wilson

In 2012, Marva won $2 million in the Missouri lottery. Unfortunately, the money did not last as she was tricked by Freya Pearson, who managed to access her account. Marva's friend used the money to gamble, buy expensive cars and apartments, and travel. As a result, Marva became bankrupt after two years of her big win.

20. Francisco Guerrero

He won an $8.6 million lottery in 2005. Guerrero was then deceived by a bank employee who led him to make bad business investments. As a result, he lost both his money and his properties. He added the percentage of lottery winners who lost it all.

21. Sharon Tirabassi

Sharon won $10.5 million in 2004. She went on vacations with friends to different cities. She also bought a house using a mortgage loan instead of paying cash. Sharon bought many expensive cars and gave out money to family and friends. By 2008, her money was gone.

22. Bryan Magee

In 2008, Bryan Magee was on top of newspaper headlines after winning $12.4 million in the UK National Lottery. Little did he know that his business would crash and will lose his money and property to repay his debts. Bryan was again back to square one.

23. Bill Bob Harrel Jr.

He won $ 31 million in 1977 in the Lotto Texas game. He had to quit his job after the big win. Bill gave money to friends, family, bought ranches, homes, and cars. He gave loans to strangers and donated to churches.

Someone might be asking today, “Are there any successful lottery winners?” Perhaps we can learn from their mistakes because lottery winners who lost it all have made the same mistakes. So many people dream of winning a lottery, but the few who win end up living a worrying life.

READ ALSO: Here are the 10 highest paid celebrities in South Africa

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The highest-paid celebrities in South Africa understood that they need to make sacrifices to find happiness. Fame does not make one wealthy but how the person uses the popularity. These stars are role models to the uprising celebrities.

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