Who wants to be a billionaire? Actually a mere £8m will do

IT would appear to be a dream come true if £80billion suddenly dropped into your bank account.

But most Britons would feel uncomfortable at the prospect of joining the world’s super-rich and would prefer a fraction of that figure instead.

A study found just 14 per cent would want to join the likes of Tesla tycoon Elon Musk – worth £162billion – and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (£103billion).

Psychologists asked nearly 8,000 people in 33 countries how much money they would want in their ‘absolutely ideal life’.

In more than four out of five nations, they found people would be content with $10million (£8million) when the most they could choose was $100billion (£80billion).

In the UK, just over a quarter of people said they would be happy with £800,000, while a third opted for £8million. Experts at universities in Bath and Exeter carried out the study. Dr Paul Bain, of Bath University, said: ‘While £8million may sound like quite a lot of money, actually it is worth remembering that is for a lifetime and a property in London can cost well above £1million.

‘This shows people don’t just want the most they can have and may realise their happiness can be achieved without becoming billionaires.’

Among 187 people questioned in the UK, 4 per cent said they would be happy with an £8,000 lottery win while 3 per cent would be satisfied with £80,000. In total, around one in five wanted more than a billion dollars (£800million).

Some may have intended to give money to charity, but most said they intended to spend it on themselves, family and friends.

The study found those who wanted huge fortunes tended to be younger and live in cities. They also placed more value on success, power and independence.

Dr Bain said: ‘Discovering that most people’s ideal lives are actually quite moderate could make it socially easier for people to behave in ways that are more aligned with what makes them genuinely happy.’

The study consisted of two surveys on how much people would want to win on the lottery. The first survey of ten countries found people in the US wanted the most money, with almost a third choosing $100billion (£80billion).

People in China wanted the least, with only 8 per cent craving this amount.

The second survey, which included a larger sample, found 39 per cent of people in Indonesia wanted the highest amount of money compared with only 11 per cent in Russia.

The study was published in the journal Nature Sustainability.

▪ Lottery chiefs last night appealed to the winner of an unclaimed £54.9million EuroMillions jackpot to step forward. The UK ticket-holder scooped the prize on June 10. Lottery operator Camelot said the ticket was bought in shop. Players have 180 days from the day of the draw to claim their prize.