The winner of one of the biggest EuroMillions jackpots he burned most of his winnings before his death in 2019, they revealed new documents.
Colin Weir from North Ayrshire, Scotland, won a record £161 million (approximately $257.6 million) in 2011, which still ranks as one of the largest jackpots handed out by European lottery competition. Weir died in 2019 at the age of 71 of sepsis and “acute kidney injury,” but she had spent most of his fortune by the time of his death.
Weir’s initial £161 million earning, halved by her divorce to some £66 million (approximately $81 million) at the time, was reduced by an additional £40 million (approximately $50 million) before her death, with the remainder of his earnings going to his two children after a £1 million blowout to his family after his death.
A financial expert said Weir’s level of spending in eight years “requires a bit of work”, according to Edinburgh Live.
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Weir ended up spending an average of £100,000 (approximately $131,900 during that time) per week on luxury items and investments.
Colin Weir and his wife Christine pose during a photo shoot in Falkirk, Scotland, after winning a record EuroMillions jackpot on July 15, 2011.
(Wattie Cheung/AFP via Getty Images)
Weir and his wife Christine bought a £3.5 million (approximately $5.75 million) mansion called Frognal House and spent thousands of dollars renovating the property.
Fortunes took a big hit when the couple separated in 2018, but Weir had made a number of investments over the last eight years of his life, most notably buying a 55% stake in glasgow football team Partick Thistle, investing in thoroughbred racehorses and establishing the Weir Charitable Trust, according to The Independent.
Largs in Ayrshire, Scotland, the hometown of Colin and Christine Weir.
(Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)
He ended up relinquishing ownership of the soccer team to a group of supporters, turning it into a largely fan-owned team. He initially used his winnings to pay off the team’s debt in 2015 and funded the team’s youth academy, according to the Daily Record.
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Weir also donated to the Scottish National Party (SNP) Failed 2014 Independence Referendum campaign, receiving praise from Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon upon her death. Sturgeon said Weir’s “determination and generosity in the cause of Scottish independence cannot be overstated and was greatly appreciated”.
Partick Thistle staff and supporters outside Firhill Stadium where Colin Weir’s funeral procession passed before the service at Partick Burgh Hall in Glasgow, Scotland.
(Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)
His luxury purchases included a Jaguar F-Pace SUV, a vintage Bentley Arnage, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz V Class and a Mercedes-Benz E Class Estate.
After their divorce, Weir resided in a £1.1 million (approximately $1.3 million) waterfront house called “The Mansions”, where he lived out the rest of his days.
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Only a £193 million (approximately $231 million) jackpot in 2019 surpassed Weirs’ record winnings.
Editor’s Note: The exchange rate had fallen during that eight-year period, even though the value of the local currency was higher.
