The lottery may seem like a dream come true, but for many winners it becomes a nightmare.
Recent British winners of £83million and £65million jackpots this year might soon discover the dark side of sudden wealth.
History shows countless examples of winners whose lives deteriorated after receiving large sums of money.
Studies suggest lottery winners in the US are more likely to declare bankruptcy within three to five years than average citizens.
National Lottery sign
PAAround one-third find themselves in financial trouble.
The pressure can lead to depression, substance abuse and family breakdown.
Some winners even face threats such as kidnapping.
What many call the "lottery curse" has claimed numerous victims over the decades.
One of the UK's most notorious examples is Michael Carroll, a bin man who won £9,700,000 on the National Lottery in 2002.
Former dustman turned £9.7 million National Lottery jackpot winner Michael Carroll (right) is driven away after being accused of breaching an Asbo.
PA
Dubbed the 'Lotto lout', he gave £4 million to friends and family, including £1,400,000 to his wife Sandra Aiken.
Their marriage collapsed shortly after they wed in 2003.
Over the following years, Carroll appeared in court more than 30 times while his Norfolk mansion fell into disrepair.
He has admitted wasting millions on cocaine, gambling, prostitutes and drinking two bottles of vodka daily.
By 2013, Carroll was broke and homeless, returning to Scotland to work in a biscuit factory, then a slaughterhouse before becoming a coal man.
He declared bankruptcy just nine years after his win.
National Lottery (Stock)
PABut financial ruin isn't the worst outcome of the lottery curse.
In 1960, Sydney salesperson Bazil Thorne and his wife Freda won the equivalent of £1,500,000.
The couple became overnight celebrities, but their fame brought tragedy.
On July 7, their eight-year-old son Graeme was kidnapped while on his way to school.
Kidnappers demanded a hefty ransom, threatening to throw the child to sharks in Sydney.
Graeme's body was later discovered on waste ground in a suburb.
EuroMillions lottery ticketPAThe case became known as Australia's first kidnapping for ransom.
It stands as a stark reminder that lottery winners can face dangers far beyond financial mismanagement.
A popular Reddit thread highlighted the dark side of lottery wins, with user BlakeClass noting: "It's something of an open secret that winners of obnoxiously large jackpots tend to end up badly with alarming regularity."
The user offered crucial advice for winners: "This is the absolutely most important thing you can do right away. Nothing. Do not tell anyone."
They recommended immediately retaining an attorney and taking the lump sum payment.
Winners should decide in advance how much to give family and friends.
Despite pressure, they advised against hiring investment managers, warning: "Investment managers charge fees, usually a percentage of assets."
Keeping quiet initially may be the most important step to avoiding the lottery curse.
