Lottery horror stories shared ahead of Powerball jackpot

Not everyone who has taken home a jackpot lived happily ever after, as a string of sad tales shared online make clear.

Powerball ticket. Lotterywest. WA lotto. Generic lottery ticket

For some Aussies dreaming of winning this week’s $100m Powerball lottery it might be a case of be careful what you wish for.

Through the years Reddit users have shared horror stories of lottery winners in Australia and beyond, detailing how families have been destroyed and lives up-ended after the massive windfalls.

One person told the tale of how $5 to $10m was enough to “rip a family apart”.

“My uncle won in 2014, and he left the country because my aunt started telling everyone. It ruined my family,” they said.

“My parents would get phone calls every day from family members asking where my uncle was.

“I went travelling a few years later, and they spread false rumours that my uncle was funding my life.”

Powerball ticket. Lotterywest. WA lotto. Generic lottery ticket

They said the family no idea if he was even still alive.

Another person shared the story of a family friend who won millions in the 1990s, which led to bankruptcy and financial ruin.

“Have a family friend who won Division One in the mid-90s. About $8m back then,” they said.

“Long story short, they lost it all, and when I mean lost it all – I mean actual bankruptcy.”

An Australian spoke out about a relative’s $1.5m win, saying it was squandered in just days.

“One won $1.5m, got some really great advice, structured and would have given him a good income for rest of his life.

“But a week later, he spunked $240k on a new Range Rover, $150k on a new M4 Convertible for his wife, $150k on a caravan and was back working on his mobile fish and chip trailer six months later.”

Aussies will be flocking to convenience stores this week. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

Another shared the yarn of an Aussie woman who won $22m, before being exploited by a long-lost brother.

Over six months, the brother managed to fleece $7m for a new car, a holiday, a new house and a business.

“When the final amount was paid she never heard from him again.

“She was quite simple and only bought a four bed house in the burbs and a new Commodore – it was sad as she genuinely thought she had rekindled their relationship.”

One lucky Aussie who won the lottery twice “literally pissed it up the wall”, according to one reddit user.

“Now married with kids and wishes they’d used it for a house at least, and not the Brock edition Commodore he wrapped around a tree on the way home from the pub.”

Winning the lotto is a dream for many. Picture: Supplied/The Lott

Sprinkled amid the sad stories were a few dream results.

One included a teenager who won $800,000 in the 2000s.

“He put it into a high interest savings account, bought a property that he rented out while he still lived with his mum (he was 19) and has never worked a day since.

“He apparently sat down with a financial adviser and they set it up so he could draw a very humble ‘wage’ amount out each month without it effecting his interest earned too much.

“He now owns several properties after making some smart investments on the stock market and continues to flourish. Wife, three kids, happy days. He’s a lovely bloke.”

Originally published as Lottery horror stories shared ahead of Powerball jackpot