Who Won The Lottery?

A lot of those who won the lottery in the UK have chosen to remain anonymous, but there are a few who have made their story public. They have shared with us who they are, and how they won and how they have used their winnings to make a difference not only in their lives, but in their local communities as well.

The Thwaites from Gloucester became the UK’s biggest ever lottery winners. Joe thought opted to buy his EuroMillions Lucky Dip online, as he usually does when there is a big jackpot looming.Joe was in bed when he was informed via email that he had just become the winner of over £184 million. Rather than jumping, shouting, cheering, dancing, or taking part in any other form elaborate, over-the-top, but very understandable, form of celebration, Joe lay in stunned silence waiting for his wife to wake.After having their win confirmed, the Thwaite’s would be forgiven for going on a spending spree of epic proportions. Instead, their first purchases included modest items like a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a second-hand Volvo!

Colin and Christine Weir | North Ayrshire | £161,653,000

Colin and Christine Weir were once the winners of the biggest ever European lottery payout. The huge £161 million win immediately retired the camera man and senior nurse and led them to a life where they were able to give back to their local community.

The Weir Charitable Trust was established in 2013, and has helped to fund sporting projects, youth theatre programmes and animal welfare campaigns. Colin was even able to purchase a majority stake in his local football team Partick Thistle with the intention of returning ownership of the club to its fans – a dream that came true in 2023.

That is not to say that Weir’s did not also enjoy some of the finer things in life! Colin amassed a fleet of luxury cars and they both purchased magnificent homes on the Scottish coast. These purchases, however, shrink in comparison to the admirable impact that their charitable donations have made.

Gillian was putting the kids to bed when Adrian decided to check the lottery results on his phone. He checked, double checked then chaos ensued. He ran to the bedroom, turned on the lights and tried to explain they had won the top prize. Gillian, however, went “ballistic”, unamused that Adrian had woken the kids.

Anger soon turned to joy however, and the pair excitedly started calling their families to tell them the good news – that the Bayford’s were now one of Britain’s wealthiest families and £148 million richer!

Frances and Patrick Connolly | Hartlepool | £114,969,775

“I’m addicted to helping others” said Frances Connolly in 2022. Frances and her husband Patrick won £114.9 million in 2019, and they have given away more than half of that amount since then. Frances, who had always believed she would the win the lottery, had already drawn up a list of people she would help when she won the lottery – before it had even happened!

Since 2019 Frances estimates that they have given away around £60 million to family, friends, and charitable projects. She had agreed a budget with her husband for how much they would donate to good causes each year. By 2022 she had already spent the entire budget for every year up to 2032!

Who Won the World’s Biggest Lotteries?

The PowerBall and MegaMillions lotteries from USA are responsible for the biggest jackpots of all time. Similar to the UK, many of these winners have chosen to remain anonymous. However, some of the biggest winners of all time have disclosed their wins – including the biggest lottery winner of all time.

Edwin Castro | California, USA | $2.04 Billion

FLL Wolverine Club | Michigan, USA |$1.05 Billion