The winner of a roughly $257.6 million (£161 million) EuroMillions jackpot spent most of his money before his death in 2019, according to documents.
Colin Weir from North Ayrshire, Scotland, won the jackpot in 2011. It still ranks as one of the largest EuroMillions jackpots ever handed out. Only a £193 million jackpot in 2019 surpassed his.
Weir and his wife, Christine, spent roughly $5.75 million on a home called “Frognal House.” They also spent thousands to renovate the property.
Weir spent an average of $131,900 per week on investments and luxury items.
Following their divorce, Christine walked away with roughly $81 million. The pot shrank by another approximately $50 million before Weir’s death. A staggering $1.2 million was spent on a party for Weir’s family following his death, with the remainder of the winnings going to his two children.
After the divorce, Weir resided in a seaside home called “The Mansions,” where he lived until his death.
Weir bought a vintage Bentley Arnage, a Jaguar F-Pace SUV, a Mercedes-Benz V Class, and a Mercedes-Benz E Class Estate, according to Fox News. Weir also invested in thoroughbred racehorses.
Weir also created the Weir Charitable Trust, according to the Independent.
Just before his death, Weir bought a 55% share in the Glasgow soccer team Partick Thistle.
He also donated to the Scottish National Party. The party failed in the 2014 Independence Referendum, but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Weir’s “determination and generosity in the cause of Scottish independence cannot be overstated and was hugely appreciated,” according to Fox News.
By the time Weir died at the age of 71 in 2019 of sepsis and “acute kidney injury,” most of the prize money was gone.
He used his winnings to wipe out the debt of Partick Thistle, and he handed his ownership of the team over to a supporters’ group, making the team majority fan-owned.