Michael Carroll says he spent his money on drugs and prostitutes, holidays and cars. Photo / Supplied
Michael Carroll says he spent his money on drugs and prostitutes, holidays and cars. Photo / Supplied
When Michael Carroll hit the jackpot, he was a teenage rubbish collector with a baby on the way.
The 19-year-old, originally from Norfolk in the UK, won an incredible £9,736,131 ($31 million at the time) on the National Lottery in November 2002 after spending just £1 on a ticket.
Butwithin 10 years, he had managed to blow the entire lot on his wild lifestyle – and today, he's completely "skint", working seven days a week delivering coal and firewood to people's homes in Scotland, news.com.au reports.
In an interview with UK tabloid the Mirror, he revealed he now made just £10 ($20) an hour – but he insists he has no regrets.
"I'm a skint lottery winner. It's got me quite a few women so I don't mind. I'm living in a rented flat," he told the Mirror.
"I'm happy. I don't have to look over my shoulder anymore, no one's going to hit me over the back of the head and rob me.
"I reckon I'm lucky to be alive. If I still had the money I'd probably be six feet under."
After becoming a teenage multi-millionaire, Carroll immediately gave away a huge chunk of his winnings, including £1 million each to his mother, his aunt and uncle who raised him, his partner Sandra Aitken and Sandra's mother.
Carroll married Aitken the following year, and the couple share a daughter, although the marriage was short-lived after Aitken accused him of cheating on her with sex workers.
"I spent the rest of the money on drugs and hookers, holidays and cars," Carroll said, backing up his ex-wife's claims.
The lottery winner bought a luxurious mansion, known as "The Grange", and began throwing wild parties and hosting demolition car derbies on the lawn.
His antics earned him the nickname "lottery lout" and "King of the Chavs" – a term similar to bogan – in the British press, and he ended up in court more than 30 times.
He owned a further two houses and several luxury cars, but by 2005, he had just £1 million left – and in 2006, he served jail time after being charged with affray.
He also paid "gangsters" £130,000 after they killed his dogs and threatened his family.
Michael Carroll won $31 million in November 2002. Photo / AP
By 2013, he was both broke and homeless and looking for work after moving into a filthy, cheap hotel in Scotland.
"It was a dive, but I had food and beer, all good," he told The Mirror.
"I was homeless for three months. Easy come, easy go."
He eventually found work at a biscuit factory and then an abattoir, where he remained for five years.
Then he got his current job as a coal delivery man and said he was happier now than when he was flush with cash.
"I don't look back with any regrets that's for sure," he told the publication.
"It was 10 years of fun for a pound, you can't go wrong with that.
"I wouldn't want to turn the clock back. But I live a good, free lifestyle now, and I'm happier because I've got my life back."
He said after his win, he would binge on drugs and alcohol, doing "three lines" of cocaine and downing "half a bottle of vodka" before even getting out of bed.
"I was a full-blown alcoholic, doing two bottles of vodka a day," he said.
Carroll still buys the occasional lotto ticket but is convinced money is the "root of all evil".
"Hangers-on just wanted to be around me for the money. I was a soft touch," he said.
"That would be my advice to other winners. Don't trust anyone, not even your f***ing family."
He said if he were lucky enough to win a second jackpot, he would buy a house and move overseas.
Carroll's interview comes just days after fellow UK lottery winner Marie Kibler – who pocketed more than £2.1 million in 2012 – revealed she was addicted to bargains despite her wealth.
The 72-year-old revealed she was obsessed with shopping at Poundland, a popular UK discount dollar-store chain that she frequents multiple times every week.
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