The biggest lottery win in Britain was won on 12 February 2010 by a Gloucestershire couple, Nigel Page and Justine Laycock. Interviewed at the time, skydiver Nigel Page described the experience as better than jumping out of a plane at 12000 feet. 

Most players of the UK lottery draw must dream about how good their lives would be if they won the jackpot. But is it really such a life-improving event?

Mark Gardiner was a winner of the UK lottery draw jackpot in 1995. He received £11 million. After embracing the publicity offered to him he went on to spend much of his new fortune. As a result, he lost many of his friends and family and reflects, “The trouble isn’t the money: it’s what the money brings along with it. It enabled me to get rid of a box of problems but it just gets replaced by a posher box of even bigger problems.”

Such winners find the challenge is the sudden change from having little to being wealthy overnight. In the light of this, the organisers of the British National Lottery, Camelot, have devised a support system. Employees of the company, including Dot Renshaw, who advises new winners of their good fortune, encourages them to take a holiday and not to rush into any life-changing decisions. An advisory panel of bankers, lawyers and financial advisors is available to help the winners, as it is very difficult to deal with large sums of money without professional advice.

It is probably the publicity that is most destructive to winners of the UK lottery draw jackpot. Now, however, they have the option of anonymity and the Press Complaints Commission have introduced specific regulations to ensure those who have thus chosen are allowed to stay unidentified.

Camelot staff have also been trained to deal with begging letters for the winners. There are also winners’ events so those in the same situation can meet and discuss their challenges. New winners are also put in touch with previous winners as mentors. 

The research company, Ipsos Mori, have ongoing studies to examine the effects such large amounts of money have on people. Generally it seems the advice available to British National Lottery winners is being acted upon. One poll discovered that more than half of the winners (55%) were much happier after their win, although the winners’ own characters may influence this of course. Ninety five percent of married winners were still with the same partner and the same percentage reported they still had the same friends.

Another study examined the car choices of UK lottery draw winners. The brands concerned were quite surprising and showed some quite conservative choices. The top carmakers favoured were Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Mini and Vauxhall respectively.  Porsche only came at number eight.

The UK lottery draw first came into being in 1994 and has subsequently created 2300 millionaires. The winners now clearly get more support than previously which helps create a happier experience. Mark Gardiner is now happier with his life too. He is about to marry his first wife after falling in love with her all over again.