How would you spend your millions in the bank? Lavish holidays, meals, cars? A massive new mansion?
Well, chances are, if you’ve thought of it, a Janner has done it.
In the last 20 years, almost 40 people from Plymouth have been made millionaires overnight through the National Lottery. As diverse as the winners and their winnings were, so was how they chose to spend their newfound wealth.
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Some simply disappeared with millions in the bank and some sound financial advice, while others went for glamour models, fancy cars and big-dollar trips to Las Vegas.
Mike Antonucci
(Image: David McHugh)
Going way back to 1995, Mike Antonucci, an antique dealer, won a mouth-watering £2.8million. Thinking he was set for life, Antonucci left his job and went on a literal spending spree that took him across the world.
His newfound bachelor lifestyle consisted of fast cars, yachts and luxury holidays, but to top it all off he even married a topless model in the Bahamas. The doomed marriage lasted a mere 12 weeks.
Antonucci’s lifestyle only sustained him for a decade. This combined with a string of failed business ventures in everything from nightclubs to massage parlours eventually saw him returning to recycling house clearance furniture
Stan Chitty and Philip Gunning
In an almost miraculous coincidence, Stan Chitty (a life-long friend of Mr Antonucci, and a regular at the same pub, The Clifton in Greenbank) and friend Phillip Gunning shared a £2.9million jackpot in 1995.
In a more modest celebration, the pair celebrated their winnings with a pint and a game of darts in their local pub.
Two years later, Stan was still working as a self-employed carpenter. He described winning the lottery as ‘an anti-climax’, he added “It wasn’t what I expected. Why would I not want to work and to lie on a beach 365 days a year? I’d die of boredom.”
Western National drivers
(Image: Tim Cuff)
The next winning was also shared between a syndicate of Western National drivers, the 11 bus drivers won a total of £8.1million in 1999. Leaving them with the handsome sum of £744,126 each.
They all gave up their jobs as bus drivers, but the winners were adamant that they wouldn’t be changed by the winnings.
Ray Angear, from Prince Rock, later said: “All I will say is that it changed our lifestyle, but not us as people.”
Brick factory workers
(Image: Lucy Davies)
Continuing the theme of syndicated winners, June 2004 saw a 19 strong group of Brick Factory workers from Steer Point near Brixham share £2.7million.
Their winnings worked out at £142,998 per person, the majority of them opted to not have any publicity. Although syndicate organiser Brian Doddridge, then aged 46 and from Plymstock, said: “It’s a dream come true, and will make everyone’s lives a bit more comfortable.”
Pete Kyle
(Image: Al Stewart)
Maybe the most notorious Lottery winner (although not for the best reasons) from Plymouth is Peter Kyle. He won a hefty £5.1million sum back in 2005 after his weekly numbers came in after years of playing them. The total was then one of the nation’s highest wins, and he had visions of changing his family’s life.
But sadly a few years later he was penniless. Estimates put his spending at near enough £4,600 a day, with most of his money being poured into top-of-the-range cars, luxury holidays and cash handouts to his children.
He purchased a luxury private five-bedroom mansion in Derriford, boasting hot tubs and mini-bars reminiscent of a private pub.
But three years later he was reportedly broke and on benefits, according to The Sun, both living and working at the £15-a-night Rooms Hotel on Union Street.
Mr. Kyle told The Herald just a few days after his downfall that he couldn’t bear opening the door to bailiffs anymore.
He also claimed thousands of pounds worth of bills had landed on his doorstep in just the past month.
The huge pile of posts included gas and electricity bills, parking fines, TV licence demands, county court judgments, bank overdraft details and letters from various credit firms.
Nothing has been heard of Mr. Kyle since, having reportedly been taken to Spain.
University of Plymouth administration staff
(Image: Al Stewart)
Last, but by no means least, are the eighteen winners from the university’s administrative staff. The syndicate collected their triple roll-over jackpot prize of £8.8 million back in 2007, meaning a £490,541 share per person.
The group almost missed out, not having realised their success until the syndicate leader went to the newsagent the following week to renew their numbers.
Their ages ranged from 21 years old up to retirement age – and they tried to keep it a secret but before long the cat was out of the bag. It wasn’t clear what they did with their winnings or whether they stayed in their respective jobs.
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Source: https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/rise-fall-plymouths-national-lottery-6195185