WE’RE IN THE MONEY THE UPS AND DOWNS OF PREVIOUS BIG LOTTERY WINNERS

Belfast bus driver Peter Lavery won £10.2 million in 1996, immediately spending a chunk of his fortune on a fleet of luxury cars, plus a home gym, steam room, and Jacuzzis with built-in televisions. But he also started a successful business, buying up 33 properties across Northern Ireland and investing in a lucrative whiskey distillery which attracted £35 million in investment. It was “like winning the lottery again,” he said.

Callie Rogers, right, became the UK’S youngestever winner at just 16 in 2003 when she scooped £1.8million. She spent hundreds of thousands on clothes, drugs, and breast enhancement surgery, falling out with family and friends who demanded a slice of the pie. She suffered from depression and tried to take her life, later admitting that she wished she had never bought the ill-fated ticket.

Upon winning a staggering £115million in the Euromillions earlier this year, Patrick and Frances Connolly announced their plan to give most of their fortune away to 50 mystery recipients.

The couple from Moira, Northern Ireland, said it would be “really tough” to choose between their friends.

Binman Michael Carroll, left, became Britain’s most famous winner after collecting £9.7million in 2002. The 19-year-old was lambasted for his lavish lifestyle in the tabloids, who nicknamed him “Lotto Lout” and “King of Chavs”. He was handed an Asbo three years after winning after he caused thousands of pounds of damage catapulting steel balls from his Mercedes van.

Upon winning £10million in 1997, John Mcguinness ploughed £4 million into his beloved Livingston Football Club, even agreeing to be liable for some of its debts – but things turned sour when the club went into administration in 2004. He later said that he sometimes felt embarrassed leaving his house, and worried about having enough money to eat.