It would be hard not to see this coming.
The Scottish couple who won £161 million in the EuroMillions lottery were in hiding yesterday — apparently meeting with their family to decide what to do with their astonishing windfall after receiving an avalanche of begging requests for money.
Neighbors of Colin and Chris Weir in the Scottish west coast town of Largs, Ayrshire, said they were having a heart-to-heart with their children, Carly, 24, and Jamie, 22.
It was suggested the lucky winners had flown out to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands after being inundated by people scrounging for money.
But others sources claimed Colin, 64, and Chris, 55, were in hiding in the Scottish Highlands with representatives from lottery company Camelot.
One local said, "We have not seen them since they were on the TV. No one knows for sure where they are but they mentioned needing time to chat about their win with their family
"Yet where would you go if you had all that money when your faces had been all over the papers and the TV?
"They are reported to have flown out of Glasgow en route to Lanzarote — but other people claim they are with the Camelot people. One thing is for sure though, they will have to come back here soon."
Royal Mail staff have already reported receiving hundreds of begging letters from people from across the UK simply addressed to "The Weirs, Largs".
The curtains have been drawn at their £180,000 home and their two cars were left parked in the driveway.
The couple realized late on Tuesday that they had won the EuroMillions jackpot, which had rolled over 14 times. They stayed up all night waiting to talk to lottery officials.
Colin and Chris decided to go public because they did not want to lie to friends and family. But as soon as they revealed their identities, the demands for money came flooding in.
Their neighbors still cannot believe they revealed themselves.
Retired taxi firm boss David Simpson, 82, said, "They are a lovely couple who have been great neighbors of mine for 25 years — but why on earth have they let the cat out of the bag?
"If they wanted to stay here in this street, they should have just kept quiet. Nobody had to know. Colin is a funny chap, he hardly ever goes out. He's a home bird. I can't even see him ever spending much of the money.
"But it's hard to believe he and his wife can even contemplate staying here now everyone knows they have got £161 million in the bank. They'll get pestered to death."
There was even a cheeky request from the vice-president of Colin's local football club [soccer team, for Americans], Largs Thistle. He suggested donating money to the club so they could clear their £5,000 debt and make offers for Argentinian superstars Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez.
Jim McGinty said, "A new stand would be lovely. We could name it the Colin Weir Stand — and he could have the No 1 spot in the car park.
"He could afford to buy Messi and Tevez — that would really bring in the crowds. We wish Colin and Christine all the very best."
Mr Weir hopes to buy a private box at Barcelona's stadium and Mrs Weir intends to go traveling and fly "at least business class".
There's a lot to be said for keeping your huge lottey win as quiet as possible. Tell no one. Trust no one.
especially when you have the option to do so.
i wish them the best of luck....
Well, the time they should have spent making decisions can now be added to the time they'll spend regretting the ones they made.
I just don't understand why they had to blurt everything out immediately.
I just hope the parasites who think they're entitled to some of their wealth don't drive them to an early grave with their begging.
We have our own problems with people (libs) who think they're entitled to other people's money in this country, so we can relate.
amen to all of the above...
They can alwayes say go to hell
or talk to my lawyer.
As florida has no option of remaining anonymous I thought that would be the best thing to do was to say my lawyer and accountants have everything figured out to where I have a comfortable monthly allowance and no access to extra cash flow.
They didn't have to lie to their friends and family. They could have told them, and even if they in turn spilled it to a few people, that would be a far cry from all the begging letters from strangers far and wide that they attracted by putting it in the media. Methinks they should have thought about this for just a few more days.
Wow!!! they should of listen to the last winner he advised them to remain
anonymous....
"Meanwhile, a man who won £26.1m in a family syndicate in January 2010, has urged the Euromillions winner to stay anonymous."
"George Sturt, 77, who split the money four ways with his three children, said he had had hundreds of begging letters since he went public and regrets doing so now."
https://www.lotterypost.com/news/234047
They can always change their address to "unknown" that way the local postal service can stamp their mail
"return to sender, address unknown"
Royal Mail staff have already reported receiving hundreds of begging letters from people from across the UK simply addressed to "The Weirs, Largs".
That's just rude.
How bizarre. You don't see people crowding Donald Trump begging for money. Or Oprah. Or ANY other wealthy person. I've got relatives who are millionaires and it wouldn't occur to me to ask them for money.
When I play the lottery and friends ask if I'll split it with them if I win, I always answer -- only a little tongue-in-cheek -- "No way. When I hit the lottery I'm dumping you losers and getting me some new friends who aren't such mooches."
Lucki*11 of Oceanside, CA has a question: Concerning "Fantasy 5" and "Mega Millions", where can one find a table of info where it gives them the breakdown of various
possible wins? Example: Fantasy 5 has five numbers; one number out of the possible five, pays how much? Two out of the possible five, pays how much? Three out of
the possible five, pays how much? ... and so on. Is there any such table of information? "Thanks" in advance to the one who answers my question and good luck 2U! Lucki*11
Who could'a seen this coming ........................
................ I mean .......................................
it'a not like there have been stories like this before .......................
for those who only play when it reaches 100 million (you're out there and you know who you are, there are many of you), this it what greed get you. the minority of us who are content with a 1-10 million dollar hit (only found in individual state lotteries) will fly under the radar and will not be hounded by people for a paltry say 4.5 million dollar hit. sure, continue to play those multi-state megajackpots but don't turn your nose up at the smaller ones...
Have you tried looking on the back of the playslip?
Their websites may have that info as well.
faber I agree with playing your state lotto game. However there are some states that do not have a lotto game not calling any states out (Oklahoma) so all we have is the multi-state games. Trust me if Oklahoma had a state lotto game I would be all on it like white on rice....
Stay low key. Stay out of the lime light. Use the winning money wisely and you'll be a successful lottery winner. Winning is only half of the challenge, keeping the money you've won is the other half.
Actually this is about the greed of envy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Having great wealth is not greed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Being ashamed to win a large amount constitutes Pseudo-intellectual nonsense !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think they knew it would come out, and they are right.
Just like the West family that won the big 300 mil powerball jackpot. The whole town was talking, becasue the kids told their friends.
Part of the reason they were so open to the press.
They should have at waited for it to come out, after they had the money and could think where to go.
Shame they had to run like criminals.
I imagine this happens more than we know.
Mark Zuckerburg had to take out a restaining order on one of his regular beggars.
" he could have the no. spot in the car park." yea where all the beggers will be waiting for him.should have kept it quiet.prolly getting mail from all over the world. don't read it , use for fireplace kindling. not to worry Colin i won't be asking for anything, but there's billions on the planet that think their entitled to apeice of everyone's action.
Happens often to TV personalities, too.
Rebecca Schaeffer and David Letterman come to mind.
Fame & fortune seem to attract the whackjobs.
yea, i wonder if a big win temporarily creates a "cult of personality" if you will ?
I told you so!
How could they have been so naive? It is a lesson to all, DON'T GO PUBLIC! It will make your life a nightmare.
"I checked them three or four times before going back downstairs to find Colin. He knew immediately by my face and tone that something was up.
"After checking many times together, the news gradually hit us. The Camelot line was closed for the night but we couldn't sleep.
"We sat up all night and saw dawn come round the next morning - we were tickled pink.
"I even had a glass of white wine which is something I normally only do at Christmas. It really is unbelievable."
They are not so "tickled pink" now!
You don't always get that option of whether to go public or not.
Some lotteries consider their hoopla more important than anyone's privacy, security or safety.
marketing, they don't care what the result is as long as it makes more sales.
umm they just won $250 million, they dont have to come back. they dont need anything from their old life. cars clothes, kitchen pots n pans? ohh maybe a pet they should collect. but who cares anymore. its all poor people junk.