It would be hard not to see this coming.
The Scottish couple who won £161 million in the EuroMillions lottery were in hiding yesterday — apparently meeting with their family to decide what to do with their astonishing windfall after receiving an avalanche of begging requests for money.
Neighbors of Colin and Chris Weir in the Scottish west coast town of Largs, Ayrshire, said they were having a heart-to-heart with their children, Carly, 24, and Jamie, 22.
It was suggested the lucky winners had flown out to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands after being inundated by people scrounging for money.
But others sources claimed Colin, 64, and Chris, 55, were in hiding in the Scottish Highlands with representatives from lottery company Camelot.
One local said, "We have not seen them since they were on the TV. No one knows for sure where they are but they mentioned needing time to chat about their win with their family
"Yet where would you go if you had all that money when your faces had been all over the papers and the TV?
"They are reported to have flown out of Glasgow en route to Lanzarote — but other people claim they are with the Camelot people. One thing is for sure though, they will have to come back here soon."
Royal Mail staff have already reported receiving hundreds of begging letters from people from across the UK simply addressed to "The Weirs, Largs".
The curtains have been drawn at their £180,000 home and their two cars were left parked in the driveway.
The couple realized late on Tuesday that they had won the EuroMillions jackpot, which had rolled over 14 times. They stayed up all night waiting to talk to lottery officials.
Colin and Chris decided to go public because they did not want to lie to friends and family. But as soon as they revealed their identities, the demands for money came flooding in.
Their neighbors still cannot believe they revealed themselves.
Retired taxi firm boss David Simpson, 82, said, "They are a lovely couple who have been great neighbors of mine for 25 years — but why on earth have they let the cat out of the bag?
"If they wanted to stay here in this street, they should have just kept quiet. Nobody had to know. Colin is a funny chap, he hardly ever goes out. He's a home bird. I can't even see him ever spending much of the money.
"But it's hard to believe he and his wife can even contemplate staying here now everyone knows they have got £161 million in the bank. They'll get pestered to death."
There was even a cheeky request from the vice-president of Colin's local football club [soccer team, for Americans], Largs Thistle. He suggested donating money to the club so they could clear their £5,000 debt and make offers for Argentinian superstars Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez.
Jim McGinty said, "A new stand would be lovely. We could name it the Colin Weir Stand — and he could have the No 1 spot in the car park.
"He could afford to buy Messi and Tevez — that would really bring in the crowds. We wish Colin and Christine all the very best."
Mr Weir hopes to buy a private box at Barcelona's stadium and Mrs Weir intends to go traveling and fly "at least business class".
There's a lot to be said for keeping your huge lottey win as quiet as possible. Tell no one. Trust no one.
especially when you have the option to do so.
i wish them the best of luck....
Well, the time they should have spent making decisions can now be added to the time they'll spend regretting the ones they made.
I just don't understand why they had to blurt everything out immediately.
I just hope the parasites who think they're entitled to some of their wealth don't drive them to an early grave with their begging.
We have our own problems with people (libs) who think they're entitled to other people's money in this country, so we can relate.
amen to all of the above...
They can alwayes say go to hell
or talk to my lawyer.
As florida has no option of remaining anonymous I thought that would be the best thing to do was to say my lawyer and accountants have everything figured out to where I have a comfortable monthly allowance and no access to extra cash flow.
They didn't have to lie to their friends and family. They could have told them, and even if they in turn spilled it to a few people, that would be a far cry from all the begging letters from strangers far and wide that they attracted by putting it in the media. Methinks they should have thought about this for just a few more days.
Wow!!! they should of listen to the last winner he advised them to remain
anonymous....
"Meanwhile, a man who won £26.1m in a family syndicate in January 2010, has urged the Euromillions winner to stay anonymous."
"George Sturt, 77, who split the money four ways with his three children, said he had had hundreds of begging letters since he went public and regrets doing so now."
https://www.lotterypost.com/news/234047
They can always change their address to "unknown" that way the local postal service can stamp their mail
"return to sender, address unknown"
Royal Mail staff have already reported receiving hundreds of begging letters from people from across the UK simply addressed to "The Weirs, Largs".
That's just rude.
How bizarre. You don't see people crowding Donald Trump begging for money. Or Oprah. Or ANY other wealthy person. I've got relatives who are millionaires and it wouldn't occur to me to ask them for money.
When I play the lottery and friends ask if I'll split it with them if I win, I always answer -- only a little tongue-in-cheek -- "No way. When I hit the lottery I'm dumping you losers and getting me some new friends who aren't such mooches."
Lucki*11 of Oceanside, CA has a question: Concerning "Fantasy 5" and "Mega Millions", where can one find a table of info where it gives them the breakdown of various
possible wins? Example: Fantasy 5 has five numbers; one number out of the possible five, pays how much? Two out of the possible five, pays how much? Three out of
the possible five, pays how much? ... and so on. Is there any such table of information? "Thanks" in advance to the one who answers my question and good luck 2U! Lucki*11
Who could'a seen this coming ........................
................ I mean .......................................
it'a not like there have been stories like this before .......................
for those who only play when it reaches 100 million (you're out there and you know who you are, there are many of you), this it what greed get you. the minority of us who are content with a 1-10 million dollar hit (only found in individual state lotteries) will fly under the radar and will not be hounded by people for a paltry say 4.5 million dollar hit. sure, continue to play those multi-state megajackpots but don't turn your nose up at the smaller ones...
Have you tried looking on the back of the playslip?
Their websites may have that info as well.
faber I agree with playing your state lotto game. However there are some states that do not have a lotto game not calling any states out (Oklahoma) so all we have is the multi-state games. Trust me if Oklahoma had a state lotto game I would be all on it like white on rice....
Stay low key. Stay out of the lime light. Use the winning money wisely and you'll be a successful lottery winner. Winning is only half of the challenge, keeping the money you've won is the other half.
Actually this is about the greed of envy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Having great wealth is not greed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Being ashamed to win a large amount constitutes Pseudo-intellectual nonsense !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think they knew it would come out, and they are right.
Just like the West family that won the big 300 mil powerball jackpot. The whole town was talking, becasue the kids told their friends.
Part of the reason they were so open to the press.
They should have at waited for it to come out, after they had the money and could think where to go.
Shame they had to run like criminals.
I imagine this happens more than we know.
Mark Zuckerburg had to take out a restaining order on one of his regular beggars.
" he could have the no. spot in the car park." yea where all the beggers will be waiting for him.should have kept it quiet.prolly getting mail from all over the world. don't read it , use for fireplace kindling. not to worry Colin i won't be asking for anything, but there's billions on the planet that think their entitled to apeice of everyone's action.
Happens often to TV personalities, too.
Rebecca Schaeffer and David Letterman come to mind.
Fame & fortune seem to attract the whackjobs.
yea, i wonder if a big win temporarily creates a "cult of personality" if you will ?
I told you so!
How could they have been so naive? It is a lesson to all, DON'T GO PUBLIC! It will make your life a nightmare.
"I checked them three or four times before going back downstairs to find Colin. He knew immediately by my face and tone that something was up.
"After checking many times together, the news gradually hit us. The Camelot line was closed for the night but we couldn't sleep.
"We sat up all night and saw dawn come round the next morning - we were tickled pink.
"I even had a glass of white wine which is something I normally only do at Christmas. It really is unbelievable."
They are not so "tickled pink" now!
You don't always get that option of whether to go public or not.
Some lotteries consider their hoopla more important than anyone's privacy, security or safety.
marketing, they don't care what the result is as long as it makes more sales.
umm they just won $250 million, they dont have to come back. they dont need anything from their old life. cars clothes, kitchen pots n pans? ohh maybe a pet they should collect. but who cares anymore. its all poor people junk.
Hope nobody takes it to far and hurts them, Hire some body guards.
I personally know a guy who hit for $1M last week. I saw him on the local lottery website and my jaw dropped. To the floor.
But I am not the kind of guy to beg. Matter of fact, I wont even ask him for one red cent.
The UK winners need to just ignore all. Move to another city and focus on their family needs first. And even the family cannot be allowed to be stupid just because there is new found wealth. I am praying that we dont hear the usual horrow stories of lottery winners.
we'll hear more about the scottish couple soon enough I reckon .....
but mean while I need to run to the store and get more popcorn and soda
who we wont hear about is the person or couple who just won the last euro millions draw, for £20m .
they will live in obscurity forever. with 20 mill,!!!
enjoy your good fortune mystery winner.,
Actually, Oprah says she gets tons of mail a day from people begging for money. "I need $500 for my mother's life-saving surgery - that's all!" - which is why I think she started giving some money away the last few years.
In fact, she admitted she wrote to Mary Tyler Moore, begging for help herself!
They all get it, they just don't announce it because then they'll all get more.
BTW - I got that info from the last time I watched Oprah, which was ...... 15 years ago?
OK, so these ppl. develope a thick skin? never watched.
There are two kinds of jackpot winners...the ones who remained anonymous and the ones that wish they had.
Yeah, but that idiot Letterman deserves it, LOL.
I wonder how much money he'd have to have before he got those goofy lookin' teeth fixed?
He looks like he just got off the last bus from Palookaville.
Maybe he attracts weirdos cuz he is one himself.
Idiots. Was my first thought then little miss cynical started to wonder if fleeing the country was a calculated decision. Let everyone know, then take off. Bit hard to get a hand out when no-one can contact you. If not I guess the lesson is when you win that much, DON'T have a glass or two of wine.
They don't have to. They have scores of people working for them who open all their mail and sort it all before they even see a single envelope. Oprah probably has a whole staff of people who's sole job is to sort through the gimmie-gimmies.
So what's wrong with helping your neighbors......good Lord even if you give half to your children you couldn't spend that money before you did if you tried. Just park it in a good mutual fund and you'll be happy for life.....and just maybe so will your family and neighbors!!!!!!ENJOY !!!!!Liz from New York
So what's wrong with helping your neighbors......
There's nothing at all wrong with helping your neighbors.
If you want to.
Oh yea, we have problems in this country with people who
think they are entitled to live under another flag and NO form of government
i.e. the tea baggers and the Gadsden flag
so they can live the way they want, Scott free. Talk about liberals wanting free all the time
and these freeloaders want to live tax free under another flag. They should
move: Love it or leave it! America! Take your personal problems elsewhere, like Cairo.
The way they talk you would think they are the uber-rich
putt’n on the dog and living in luxurious tax shelters! Dreamers! I can see why
taxing the rich is finding so much opposition, more people want the same privilege,
not equality. They want entitlements we pay for.
There is only one flag of this nation and one pledge. The Gadsden
has no nation, no Constitution and no rights. It is a military flag carried by the first
marines before we became a nation. Any other flag sworn to or flown today is sedition while enjoying the freedoms
those men died for with hope to ensure a new nation would be born with its own flag of sovereignty.
I think after reading these quotes by Thomas Jefferson that you will agree, Delta Dippy, Thomas Jefferson would have told you to blow it out your ass.
Quotes - Thomas Jefferson
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. -Thomas Jefferson
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms..disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one." - Thomas Jefferson quoting Cesare Beccaria, Criminologist in 1764. That was 230 years ago. -Thomas Jefferson
"The constitutions of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves;
that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property and freedom
of the press." Thomas Jefferson
"The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it." -Thomas Jefferson
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.-Thomas Jefferson
I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive.-Thomas Jefferson
Power is not alluring to pure minds.-Thomas Jefferson
Most bad government has grown out of too much government.-Thomas Jefferson
What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?-Thomas Jefferson
Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread.-Thomas Jefferson
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.-Thomas Jefferson
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms [of government] those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.-Thomas Jefferson
Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.-Thomas Jefferson
I think myself that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.-Thomas Jefferson
A free people [claim] their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate.-Thomas Jefferson
The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.-Thomas Jefferson
I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.
Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have ... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases.
Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now.