When you think about the lottery you usually think about the United States because the typical size of a winning jackpot is regularly in the hundreds of millions of dollars, even reaching $1 billion on occasion. So when you hear about a lottery winner from another country you might not think it’s the biggest prize but for British resident Lara Griffith, nailing a lottery jackpot for $2.2 million (£1.8 million) would change her life forever.
What a shock
It’s been two decades since Lara Griffith bought that life-changing lotto ticket. At the time of her purchase, she was making roughly $51,000 (£ 40,000) as a teacher. Her husband, Roger, worked as an IT manager and made just a little less money per year than his wife. The Griffiths said that they were in “shock” when they learned that they had won.
Immediately the husband and wife winners began to indulge themselves with their prize money. It’s been reported by People Magazine that soon after collecting their winnings they started to spend and spend fast. They flew economy to a first-class vacation in Dubai. They bought 30 used cars, and a minimum of 15 costly designer handbags. They also decided to buy a $450,000 house (that they had a mortgage on), a hair salon for $191,000, and $30,000 towards trying to make Roger into a rock star.
No money No Marriage
It took the pair eight years but they spent their entire lottery jackpot. The same year that they finished their jackpot they also decided to get a divorce. Lara blamed part of the separation on the fact that Roger was obsessed with his music career. Roger had reassembled his college band and poured money into renting a recording studio, equipment, and more. His efforts failed.
Now without her husband or the small fortune that she won, Lara went to work at the hair salon that she and her now ex-husband had purchased as an investment early on after their big win. Initially, Lara didn’t take a salary from the investment salon but now that the lottery jackpot was gone she relied on the business for the ability to pay her bills.
Where Is Lara Now?
When the news broke that the Griffiths had spent their $2.2 million lottery jackpot, they began to receive some serious backlash from the internet and social media.
“People kept saying I was stupid, pumped full of plastic surgery, and needed my kids taken away. But the fact is, I spent it wisely — and I had a great time,” she was quoted as saying in the People article.
Now 53 and still working at the hair salon, Lara Griffith lives with her daughters Kitty and Ruby and her 86-year-old mother.
