Other Sites

online lottery

Online Gaming

The Mysterious Death of a Lottery Winner; Police are Investigating

Whenever I do a TV or radio appearance (promoting my book), I am always asked about the dark side of lotteries. The bad news stories about how some winners blow through their winnings and wind up on skid row.

And I always say…”Yes,” there are bad stories like that. But there are far more good news stories.

These days, it is relatively rare to see a hard luck story when it comes to lottery winners.

They are smarter. And, they get sound financial help, which is what I would advise ANY big jackpot winner.

But you can’t ignore the bad news either:

From Associated Press, I heard that police were investigating the death of a man who became a millionaire after winning Britain’s National Lottery when he was 17.

Police in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, said they were looking into the death of 29-year-old Stuart Donnelly, who was found dead in his home in the small southwestern Scottish town of Castle Douglas early this past week.

Donnelly won just under 2 million pounds in November 1997 — nearly $1.2 million at the time — and gained media attention for being one of Britain’s youngest lottery winners.

In Britain, unlike the U.S., you can play the lottery once you hit 16. Here, it is 18.

He spent the money on homes for himself and his parents, and gave money to a Scottish hospital where his brother was being treated for a genetic disease.

In a 2003 he said he was feeling the pressure of the media attention.

Reporters put a strain on him and his family, he said.

Police said a post-mortem will be performed but Donnelly’s death is not suspicious.

I’ll keep an eye out on this story.