Colin Wier was one of the biggest lottery winners in the United Kingdom. He took that title literally and lived larger than life, splurging on every piece of luxury he could lay his hands on before the cold hands of death came knocking a few years after the big win.
Keep reading for the details.
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Colin Weir
The former cameraman who married a nurse won the lottery in 2011. He bagged a massive $257.6 million (£207.7 million) and became the United Kingdom’s biggest lottery winner when he cashed in on the prize money.
$131,000 Per Week
The North Ayrshire, Scotland native splashed a whooping $131,000 (£105,649) every week after winning the prize money in 2011, according to reports from The Independent .
8 Extravagant Years
The big spender managed to get through $50 million (£40.3 million) of the total earnings in 8 years, including purchasing a soccer team , race horses, and modern cars.
Glasgow Partick Thistle Football Club
The former cameraman bought a 55 percent share in Glasgow’s Partick Thistle Football Club, according to details in official documents revealed on Thursday. He had been a lifelong supporter of the club, which he purchased a month before he passed away.
Luxury Cars
The overnight millionaire owned a vintage Bentley Arnage worth $12,399 (£10,000), a three-year-old Jaguar F-Pace SUV valued at $35,028 (£28,250), a $29,758 (£24,000) four-year-old Mercedes Benz E Class Estate and a 2019 Mercedes Benz V Class people carrier, valued at around $43,398 (£35,000).
A Million Dollar Home
He purchased a $6 million (£4.838 million) mansion which he also spent millions of dollars to renovate.
Horses For The Champion
Weir also splashed on the good horses as he took ownership of three thoroughbreds, including a five-year-old gelding Knighted, Felony, and a winning Irish mare named If You Say Run.
Investments In Other Companies
He invested in stakes in Microsoft, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton, Estee Lauder, Tesco, AG Barr, Irn Bru, and Greggs, which all ran into hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He also staked about $495,980 (£400,000) in tax-advantage Enterprise Investment Schemes, where individuals can buy into small and medium companies for generous tax relief.
Charity Donations
The couple set up a charity company named Weir Charitable Trust to back projects to promote health and animal welfare and active participation in sporting activities. The stories of their generous giving are widely sung amongst individuals who have had encounters with the pair over the years.
Houses For The Friends
The couple splurged about $6.1 million (£5 million), purchasing houses for their best friends and setting up bursaries for talented students in the first year after they won the lottery.
Paying For A Prosthetic Limb
In August 2012, the couple decided to fulfill the dreams of 13-year-old Kieran Maxwell from Heighington, County Durham, by buying a prosthetic limb for her after she lost her leg to a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
A Bitter Divorce
His wealth didn’t seem to sustain his failing marriage, as he was divorced from his wife of 38 years before his death. Christine also took much of his fortune.
Moving On
He then lived on his $1.3 million (£1.1m) seafront property in Ayr, which he bought in June 2018 after the divorce. The five-bedroom house was the second he purchased after signing off his mansion near Troon to his ex-wife.
Colin Wier’s Death
He died suddenly in 2019 after suffering from sepsis and kidney injury and had allegedly kept a small cash box in case of sudden emergencies.
Wier’s will shows that he had furniture, jewelry, and artworks all valued at around $262,869 (£212,000).
