Adam Lopez
Norwich builder Adam Lopez won £1 million on a scratch card in July 2025. National Lottery/National Lottery

A British builder who won £1 million on a National Lottery scratch card in July is now recovering in hospital after what he described as 'three months of partying'. Adam Lopez, 39, from Norwich, went from a bank balance of £12.40 to £1,000,012.40 overnight. He quit his job and spent the summer celebrating with friends and family, convinced that his life had changed forever.

The celebrations, however, came to a sudden halt in September when Lopez collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital. Doctors later diagnosed him with a bilateral pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition caused by blood clots blocking both lungs.

'I couldn't walk, I couldn't breathe,' he told the BBC, recalling the moment he realised he was close to dying. 'It doesn't matter how much money you have when you're in the back of an ambulance.' Lopez spent eight days in hospital and now faces months of recovery. He said the health scare was a 'massive wake-up call', adding that quitting his job and losing his daily routine had left him feeling disconnected.

The Lottery Curse and Sudden Wealth Syndrome

Lopez's ordeal has reignited public fascination with what many call the 'lottery curse', the idea that sudden wealth can lead to ruin rather than lifelong security. Several high-profile winners have seen their fortunes disappear within years.

Michael Carroll, dubbed the 'Lotto Lout', won £9.7 million in 2002 at the age of 19. Within a decade, he had declared bankruptcy after spending much of his winnings on drugs and parties, according to The Guardian.

Callie Rogers, who became Britain's youngest lottery winner at 16 after scooping £1.9 million in 2003, later said she was left 'broken' by the experience. By her mid-twenties, she had lost most of her fortune and struggled with depression and exploitation, reports Metro UK.

Lee Ryan, one of the first National Lottery winners in 1994, collected £6.5 million but later lost it all. He reportedly spent heavily on luxury cars and a £2 million mansion before serving a prison sentence for handling stolen vehicles. Ryan later described his windfall as a 'curse'.

Experts in behavioural finance say that sudden wealth often brings emotional turmoil. Dr Stephen Goldbart, co-founder of the Money, Meaning & Choices Institute, notes that many people who acquire large sums quickly experience anxiety and an identity crisis. Without structure or purpose, they can feel cut off from their previous lives and struggle with the pressures that accompany wealth.

A Lesson for Future Winners

Since leaving hospital, Lopez has vowed to slow down and focus on recovery. He plans to return to work once his health allows and hopes to find a healthier balance.

Financial advisers recommend that lottery winners take time to adjust before making major life changes. Keeping a job, hiring a certified financial planner and setting aside money for emergencies can help new millionaires avoid impulsive decisions.

Lopez's story serves as a reminder that money alone does not guarantee happiness or health. His brush with death has turned his win into a lesson in moderation and a warning that luck without balance can be dangerous.

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