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Top Lottery Winners: International Winners
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Published: September 5, 2007
When people buy lottery tickets, they envision their lives changing drastically. People imagine as lottery winners they would feel the relief of getting out of debt, the happiness of paying for their children's education, and most importantly, the exuberance that comes with spending money. However, in the case of real-life lottery winners, money can buy scores of Bentleys, houses in the Hamptons and Gucci shoes, but it cannot buy happiness.
Sadly, many lottery winners are stories of rags to riches to rags all over again.
The largest international lottery winner of all time, West Virginia contractor Jack Whittaker, won $314.9 million in 2002. Since then Whittaker has had hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from his car and home and had brush ups with the law. In a trial over Whittaker threatening to kill a bar manager, he pleaded no contest. After this lottery winner claimed his prize, he was arrested twice for driving under the influence and was also accused of groping women at a racetrack. In a tragic twist of fate, Whittaker lost his beloved granddaughter, Brandi after she went missing in 2004.
The lottery winner had already been a successful and affluent builder before his win and to some, seemed better prepared than most lottery winners handle the money. He donated a significant portion of the money to the poor, to churches and to preachers. When the granddaughter of the lottery winner went missing, Whittaker's wife said she wished her husband had never won the lottery, and even said she would have torn up the ticket.
Overall, the United States has the biggest lottery winners on the international spectrum. Dolores McNamara, the biggest European lottery winner, won about $139 million. Her story, unlike Whittaker's, is not filled with tragedy. The Irish lottery winner has kept a low profile, but the media still unearthed skeletons in her closet. Now, her family is constantly at risk for abduction and her house and children are outfitted with security alarms.
Although winning the lottery may seem like a fantastic thing, fortune is truly a subjective thing. Many lottery winners are poor and have not received a high school diploma. These lottery winners are overwhelmed by the vast amount of money and do not know how to manage it. Within a short period of time, the lottery winners could be in financial ruin again. Christopher Solomon, a writer, disproves common myths about the lottery and lottery winners. He also gives people tips on how to slightly improve their chances of becoming lottery winners. Lottery winners may have a lot of money, but it is hard to prepare for the consequences of being filthy rich.
Sources:
Solomon, Christopher. "Why poor people win the lottery." Microsoft. 2007. 30 Aug. 2007. http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Retirementand Wills/RetireEarly/WhyPoorPeopleWinTheLottery.aspx< />
Hampson, Rick. "No fairy tale life for lottery winner." USA Today. 22 Dec. 2004. 30 Aug. 2007. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-12-22-lot tery-tragedy_x.htm
"Dolores McNamara." Wikipedia. 27 Aug. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 30 Aug. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolores_McNamara.
"Lottery jackpot records." Wikipedia. 30 Aug. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 30 Aug. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lottery_jackpot_recor ds.
The largest international lottery winner of all time, West Virginia contractor Jack Whittaker, won $314.9 million in 2002. Since then Whittaker has had hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from his car and home and had brush ups with the law. In a trial over Whittaker threatening to kill a bar manager, he pleaded no contest. After this lottery winner claimed his prize, he was arrested twice for driving under the influence and was also accused of groping women at a racetrack. In a tragic twist of fate, Whittaker lost his beloved granddaughter, Brandi after she went missing in 2004.
The lottery winner had already been a successful and affluent builder before his win and to some, seemed better prepared than most lottery winners handle the money. He donated a significant portion of the money to the poor, to churches and to preachers. When the granddaughter of the lottery winner went missing, Whittaker's wife said she wished her husband had never won the lottery, and even said she would have torn up the ticket.
Overall, the United States has the biggest lottery winners on the international spectrum. Dolores McNamara, the biggest European lottery winner, won about $139 million. Her story, unlike Whittaker's, is not filled with tragedy. The Irish lottery winner has kept a low profile, but the media still unearthed skeletons in her closet. Now, her family is constantly at risk for abduction and her house and children are outfitted with security alarms.
Although winning the lottery may seem like a fantastic thing, fortune is truly a subjective thing. Many lottery winners are poor and have not received a high school diploma. These lottery winners are overwhelmed by the vast amount of money and do not know how to manage it. Within a short period of time, the lottery winners could be in financial ruin again. Christopher Solomon, a writer, disproves common myths about the lottery and lottery winners. He also gives people tips on how to slightly improve their chances of becoming lottery winners. Lottery winners may have a lot of money, but it is hard to prepare for the consequences of being filthy rich.
Sources:
Solomon, Christopher. "Why poor people win the lottery." Microsoft. 2007. 30 Aug. 2007. http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Retirementand Wills/RetireEarly/WhyPoorPeopleWinTheLottery.aspx< />
Hampson, Rick. "No fairy tale life for lottery winner." USA Today. 22 Dec. 2004. 30 Aug. 2007. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-12-22-lot tery-tragedy_x.htm
"Dolores McNamara." Wikipedia. 27 Aug. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 30 Aug. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolores_McNamara.
"Lottery jackpot records." Wikipedia. 30 Aug. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 30 Aug. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lottery_jackpot_recor ds.
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