Unlucky lottery winners

When it comes to winning the lottery we all like to assume that it will make us happier and improve our lives. The truth, however, is that winning the lottery doesn’t always make your life better. That Powerball ticket or Eurojackpot win may seem like the best thing that could ever happen to you until you take a look at some of the lottery winners who have seen things in their lives change dramatically, and not for the better.

Lottery winner deaths

Urooj Khan won $1 million in a scratch-off ticket in June of 2012. It was the last lottery ticket he was ever going to buy (by intent) and when he won the jackpot, Khan was even more than ready to give up lottery tickets altogether. But while his payout check was issued on July 19, Khan was declared dead July 20th. In fact, he had been poisoned with cyanide, though investigators still don’t know who did it.

Billie Bob Harrell Jr. won $31 million on a Texas Lotto jackpot back in 1997. He thought it was going to be an answer to their prayers because his family of five had been struggling along for quite some time. And it started off great. But then things fell apart fast. He made some bad deals and then his marriage fell apart. That was the end of it and he killed himself in 1999, only two years after the win.

Flat broke winners

William Post III won approximately $16.2 million in a Pennsylvania lottery back in 1988, but it was actually the start of a whole lot of problems for him. He pre-spent large portions of his money, was almost murdered, and went through a whole lot of crime. Within only a few years he had lost all of his money and was completely bankrupt.

Michael Carroll made the conscious decision to blow his money entirely. This man was already in trouble with the law and already had more than enough problems with drugs and gambling. When he won $15.5 million he spent all of it (minus a little for friends and family) on drugs, prostitutes, and gambling. Once the money was gone (eight years later) he was perfectly content to return to his old life.

Playing the lottery doesn’t solve all your problems. And winning the current jackpot won’t do it either. But if you’re careful and smart, you can avoid some of these major mistakes.