Current:Home > NewsEuroMillions lottery winner: I had to cut off 'greedy' family after $187 million jackpot -Streamline Finance
EuroMillions lottery winner: I had to cut off 'greedy' family after $187 million jackpot
View
Date:2025-04-13 17:22:10
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! (3)
Related
- Olympic disqualification of gold medal hopeful exposes 'dark side' of women's wrestling
- 'Wait Wait' for February 10, 2024: With Not My Job guest Lena Waithe
- Cowboys Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith growing very tired of former team's struggles
- How Asian American and Pacific Islander athletes in the NFL express their cultural pride
- 'Most Whopper
- Girlfriend of Illinois shooting suspect pleads not guilty to obstruction
- For San Francisco 49ers coach Johnny Holland, Super Bowl LVIII isn't his biggest challenge
- Proof The Kardashians Season 5 Is Coming Sooner Than You Think
- Tom Holland's New Venture Revealed
- Antonio Gates, coping after not being voted into Hall of Fame, lauds 49ers' George Kittle
Ranking
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Ireland women's team declines pregame pleasantries after Israeli player's antisemitism accusation
- Caitlin Clark, please don't break scoring record on Super Bowl Sunday. For once, just be average.
- Verizon teases upcoming Beyoncé Super Bowl commercial: What to know
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- Arkansas police find firearms, Molotovs cocktails after high speed chase of U-Haul
- What is Wagyu? The beef has a 'unique, meltaway texture' but comes with a heavy price tag
- Pakistan’s ex-PM Sharif says he will seek coalition government after trailing imprisoned rival Khan
Recommendation
Olympic women's basketball bracket: Schedule, results, Team USA's path to gold
An Oklahoma judge who sent more than 500 texts during a murder trial resigns
The Daily Money: How to file taxes free
Nurse acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in 2019 death of a 24-year-old California jail inmate
What to watch: O Jolie night
Lena Waithe talks working at Blockbuster and crushing on Jennifer Aniston
4.6-magnitude earthquake shakes Southern California
Vanderpump Rules' Raquel Leviss Makes Unexpected Runway Appearance During NYFW