Lottery winner who squandered $1.8M jackpot in 8 years says she doesn’t regret it because she had a great time

A British woman who squandered more than $1.8 million in lottery winnings in eight years said she doesn’t regret how she spent her cash and had a great time.

Nearly 20 years after collecting the prize, Lara Griffiths, a mother of two, said she’s just sick of being painted as tragic. Its become an overriding narrative that the lotto ruined my life, Griffiths, of Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, told the South West News Service. 

People kept saying I was stupid, pumped full of plastic surgery and needed my kids taken away. But the fact is, I spent it wisely and I had a great time, Griffin, 53, said. Griffiths was shocked when her husband Roger told her that he had won the life-changing prize back in 2005.  

Everyone always asks you what its like to win the lottery, she told the outlet. But its not a tangible feeling imagine being told you suddenly have two million in the bank. Her first spend after winning the lottery was a 10-day trip to Dubai with her family .

The couple then bought a salon for more than $187,000 as an investment after Griffiths quit her $50,000 a year teaching job out of concern her students and coworkers would treat her differently. She started working at the salon without paying herself a salary but said she felt bored and unstimulated, because of her passion was teaching.

Griffith got a mortgage on a new $560,000 home instead of buying it outright, Lara said. They also purchased 30 pre-owned cars and 15 designer handbags as investments. Roger, Griffiths claims, spent money on his music career. He told SWNS he spent more than $30,000 on producing a record with his college band.

But, by 2013, eight years later, the money had run out – and Roger and Lara split. The pair have two children together – Kitty, now 16 and Ruby, now 19.  The mother and her two daughters now live with Lara’s mum Norma, 86, in a four-bedroom house.

I fully hold my hands up and accept my mistakes, she said. I’ve spent the last 10 years making sure my children have a nice life regardless of that. But the lottery did not ruin my life, Griffiths added.