We have all had moments when we have thought about the life-changing impact that a lottery win could have.

For some, the dream might be to spend the money on luxury holidays, while others may be keen on the idea of buying a sports car or two. However, for those lucky individuals who have won the jackpot, such dreams become reality in a big way.

Major news

We would all love it if our numbers came up and it seems like there are plenty of opportunities for that to happen these days. For instance, the Irish Lotto results are drawn twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with the jackpot at the time of writing standing at around €8.5 million.

Despite this, the site does add that the odds of winning the Irish Lotto still stand at one in 10,737,573 – and this is perhaps why those who do win big still attract lots of attention. A lottery win always generates news headlines, as well as the now-standard pictures of the winners toasting their success and holding a big cheque.

However, in some cases, winners have gone on to continue to feature in the papers long after their jackpot success. Here are just three examples of people who have regularly caught the attention of the media in the years since their wins.

1. Michael Carroll

Michael – or Mikey – Carroll from Elgin won almost £10 million by playing the lottery in 2002 and reports of his exploits regularly featured in the media.

While it is believed that the money is gone, Carroll was back in the news in August after it was revealed he had a new girlfriend. The Scottish Sun reported that Rebecca McNeil did not realise who Carroll was until he opened up to her about his past.

2. Dolores McNamara

Hailing from Limerick, Dolores won an incredible €115 million on the Euromillions in 2005. In the years since, she has gone on to develop interests in commercial property and this was why she was back in the news in 2016.

The Journal reported on how she lost a bidding war in relation to a major retail park, as rivals Irish Life went on to outbid her and secure Childers Road for around €46 million.

3. Jane Park

Edinburgh-born Jane Park won the Euromillions when she was just 17 and she has gone on to attract plenty of attention from the media in the years since.

In 2018, sources including Edinburgh Live reported on how she launched a website which let men apply to be her boyfriend. The successful applicant was set to receive an allowance of £60,000 a year and the site apparently generated thousands of enquiries.

Fame and fortune

A lottery win is always big news, but the examples above highlight how some winners have regularly caught the attention of the press in the years after their wins.

So, the next time you find yourself daydreaming about a lottery win, it may be worth thinking about how you would go about handling a life transformed by both new-found fame and fortune.