Current:Home > ContactEuroMillions lottery winner: I had to cut off 'greedy' family after $187 million jackpot -Stellar Wealth Sphere
EuroMillions lottery winner: I had to cut off 'greedy' family after $187 million jackpot
View
Date:2025-04-24 09:01:44
The winner of a $187 million EuroMillions lottery jackpot in 2012 said she no longer speaks to her family after giving them $25.3 million.
Gillian Bayford, the Scottish lottery winner of the £148 million EuroMillions jackpot, severed family ties after Bayford said they tried to take advantage of her generosity, according to Mirror UK.
After winning the life-changing prize, she claimed that she immediately started paying off the $884,684 debts that her father and brother owed. However, in 2016, she said that while the money was "supposed to make everyone happy," it had "made them demanding and greedy," she told the Sun this month.
Bayford said her parents were living in a caravan at the time of her win. She gave them money to buy a place in Carnoustie, eastern Scotland, but then her brother Colin asked for more money.
"They [my family] have lost touch with where they've come from," had told The Sun. "They're rubbing people's noses in it by flashing their cash, which I think is downright nasty."
Backstory of the 2012 win
In 2012, Adrian and Gillian Bayford hit the headlines as the winners of a $187 million EuroMillions jackpot. However, after their win, the couple was inundated with requests for money from strangers who had read about their good fortune.
After a year, Bayford made headlines again as she separated from Adrian. They attributed the end of their nine-year marriage to the pressures of their massive lottery win. However, they parted ways on friendly terms and decided to divide the winnings equally.
Bayford met her new partner, Alan Warnock when she and Adrian visited an Audi dealership to buy five luxury cars for herself, her parents, her brother, and his girlfriend, per the DailyMail.
More winners:Michigan man says he'll live debt-free after winning $1 million Mega Millions prize
What's going on with Bayford today?
Despite her generous gift and bailing them out of debt, Bayford revealed this month that she and her family are no longer speaking.
"That was the first thing we paid for," Bayford told the Sun. "Adrian's family had to wait weeks, but my parents and brother were first. They got their cars and houses before anyone."
After lending money to her parents to purchase a new home, Bayford said her brother asked for additional funds to start a playground business. She agreed and gave him $1 million. The brother now lives in a house worth $366,059.52, drives Audi cars with personalized number plates, and even got married. However, he stopped communicating with his sister after receiving the money.
Bayford also told the Mirror UK that her father is attempting to take control of her portion of the inheritance despite her willingly assisting her family with their financial problems. The conflict arose due to an article in the Sun newspaper in which Bayford spoke about her winnings, which caused embarrassment to her parents.
"I can hold my head up because I know I've taken them out of a situation," Bayford told The Sun. "They brought our name into disrespect in the village, and we had people threatening to torch the family house. My dad and brother built up one company after another and then closed them down. I've bailed them out of every debt."
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets in the U.S. can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.
veryGood! (755)
Related
- Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
- In the Race to Develop the Best Solar Power Materials, What If the Key Ingredient Is Effort?
- Kim Zolciak Spotted Wearing Wedding Ring After Calling Off Divorce From Kroy Biermann
- The ‘Environmental Injustice of Beauty’: The Role That Pressure to Conform Plays In Use of Harmful Hair, Skin Products Among Women of Color
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- This Winter’s Rain and Snow Won’t be Enough to Pull the West Out of Drought
- Amazon Prime Day 2023 Extended Deal: Get This Top-Rated Jumpsuit for Just $31
- Travis Barker Praises Pregnant Kourtney Kardashian's Healing Love After 30th Flight Since Plane Crash
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- Viasat reveals problems unfurling huge antenna on powerful new broadband satellite
Ranking
- John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
- Texas Environmentalists Look to EPA for Action on Methane, Saying State Agencies Have ‘Failed Us’
- Maryland, Virginia Race to Save Dwindling Commercial Fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay
- Exxon Accurately Predicted Global Warming, Years Before Casting Doubt on Climate Science
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- Senator’s Bill Would Fine Texans for Multiple Environmental Complaints That Don’t Lead to Enforcement
- If You Bend the Knee, We'll Show You House of the Dragon's Cast In and Out of Costume
- Appeals court halts order barring Biden administration communications with social media companies
Recommendation
Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
Apple iPhone from 2007 sells for more than $190,000 at auction
Yes, a Documentary on Gwyneth Paltrow's Ski Crash Trial Is Really Coming
Lisa Vanderpump Has the Best Idea of Where to Put Her Potential Vanderpump Rules Emmy Award
As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
At CERAWeek, Big Oil Executives Call for ‘Energy Security’ and Longevity for Fossil Fuels
Shawn Johnson Weighs In On Her Cringe AF Secret Life of the American Teenager Cameo
Peacock hikes streaming prices for first time since launch in 2020