November 10 - After nine weeks that the EuroMillions lottery jackpot was not
won, last Friday's prize up for grabs was a whopping ?90 million.
When the draw took place, it was announced that two players who purchased
their tickets in the United Kingdom would split the prize on their winning
tickets.
For two days, the UK held its breath as the prizes went unclaimed but
yesterday Camelot, the national lottery operator, announced that the two players
had contacted their offices and were on their way to have their tickets
validated.
The two UK players, who do not know each other, beat odds of 1:76,275,360 to
take the top prize in the EuroMillions lottery.
It remains to be seen whether the winners will choose the way that 25% of all
lottery millionaires take and celebrate their win in public at a press
conference, including champagne and a giant check.
The National Lottery said that while it is true that the majority of winners
decide to remain anonymous, they tend to suffer more stress because of this
decision.
"If they decide not to go public, then they have to create stories to explain
their riches. That can be stressful," said a spokesman for Camelot, Simon Horne.
"Of if you've got children of a certain age you have to decide whether to tell
them or whether you trust them not to tell."
A financial adviser from the UK gave his opinion on how these newfound riches
should handled. "With that amount of money you would want to seriously start
thinking about employing full time people to manage it," he said. "If you are
25, you have got a hell of a long time to plan for and you need to be thinking
about the stock market, about property. But if you are 75 I would be out for a
good time, put some money in cash deposits and have the time of your life."
The latest EuroMillions win sets a new record for the highest lottery amount
ever paid to UK players.
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