The latest winners of the UK National Lottery Euromillions jackpot are Joan and Brian Caswell.
The retired and now very wealthy couple from Bolton claim they won’t let the ￡25 million (around 275 million yuan) win change them. However, they have said they will be buying a flash car and taking an extravagant holiday to Rio.
The Caswells are the latest in a long line of UK lottery winners. Over ￡32 billion (around 350 billion yuan) has been paid out to winners since the first UK national lottery draw in 1994.
With such huge sums of money at stake it is perhaps no surprise that something like 70 percent of UK adults play the lottery on a regular basis. They can even choose to play daily as the company which runs the UK National Lottery, Camelot, operates multiple games.
Of course, there is a more serious side to the lottery. The UK government collects around 12 percent tax on lottery revenues and ensures a further slice of the money goes to good causes. These include projects in health, education, the environment, the arts, sport and national heritage.
With all these positive applications for lottery revenue, it might be hard to imagine a downside to the lottery. But there are some very vocal opponents to the national game. Some feel that any form of gambling is wrong whilst others choose to criticise the way the lottery revenue is spent.
Another area of concern is over the level of support and advice given to new lottery winners. Just how are people meant to manage the huge sums of money that the lottery jackpots now offer?
Well, with over 2,100 newly-created millionaires, some manage better than others. For every story of successful investment and charitable giving there is a more sensational story of frivolous spending.
We shouldn’t forget the story of John McGuinness, who invested a large part of his ￡10 million (around 110 million yuan) win in a fledgling football team and who is now facing bankruptcy and financial ruin.
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