UK Couple Wins $224M and Buys Volvo V60 Wagon

A UK couple has “gone on a tear,” reveling in their new-found fortune after landing a massive payout from the EuroMillions lottery draw this past May. The couple ended up winning the eye-watering £184 million ($224 million) and will have the opportunity to enjoy it by treating themselves to some long-denied pleasures.

The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants

Joe and Jess Thwaite are already making good use of their good fortune, and they have purchased a second-hand Volvo, a V60 wagon. Speaking to a tabloid newspaper, The Sun, a neighbor said that despite the couple being lottery winners, they were also very down-to-earth people and hard workers.

The neighbor was certain that the couple’s decision not to spend their wealth on sports cars and alcohol was a sign of moral probity and a testament to their character. But admittedly, Joe said that he was not really aware of what to do with the amount of money. He needed “time to dream.”

EuroMillions may not have quite the same ring as, say, Power Ball, but the lottery game is a fantastic opportunity for people who are looking to win big. The winnings are capped at €230 million, roughly $243 million, but they are also tax-free. What this means is that once you claim the sum, you are good to use it without having to worry about the tax man knocking on your door one ominous day.

Capped Lottery Winnings, But Much Better Prize

Most jurisdictions that participate in EuroMillions, including Belgium, France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK, tend to pay out the prize in a lump sum, albeit some may demand annual installments instead.

The wealth will allow the couple to go a little crazier than just a V60 wagon, though, as they are now looking to change houses, The Sun reports. Buying a new property will indeed be a good way to spend their money. But frugality is still a modus operandi for the couple.

Asked what his ceiling price for a house is, Joe said that originally, he set the price to £7 million, but then he had a think over and admitted that was silly high for something as inconsequential as a house.