Britain’s youngest-ever lottery winner has finally found peace, 20 years after winning £1.875 million ($2.428 million) as a teenager.
Callie Rogers made headlines in 2003 when her lucky ticket turned her into a millionaire at just 16. At the time, she was working as a shop assistant in her local Co-op, earning £3.60 ($4.66) an hour.
Highlights
- Callie Rogers won £1.875 million at 16, becoming the youngest UK lottery winner.
- Callie felt exploited due to her age and struggled with mental health issues after her win.
- Now, she has found stability and welcomed her fifth child, Navie-Nicola.
After years of grappling with the mental health consequences of her jackpot win, the 37-year-old has found stability in her life. Last month, she welcomed her fifth child, a daughter named Navie-Nicola, with her new partner, Lee Matthews, according to The Sun.
Image credits: Phil Noble - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images
"The best five weeks of life loving you, our little bean,” she wrote, sharing a sweet series of photos of her daughter. In another post, she called her newborn “Mammys [sic] precious girl.”
After winning the lottery, Callie spent half a million on homes for herself and her family. She also spent £550k ($713k) on tattoos, cosmetic surgeries, clothes, and traveling.
However, what seemed like a dream scenario for a young woman turned into a nightmare when the lotto winner developed a cocaine habit, as per LadBible. The mother of five reportedly spent thousands on the drug and borrowed money from friends and family that she would never repay.
Image credits: This Morning
"I did not want that much money. I was in foster care and for the first time in a long time, I was really settled and really happy," she told The Mirror in 2019.
"At 16 you do not know what is ahead of you, because by God, I did not expect any of that. I asked the Co-op if I could have my old job back."
Callie welcomed her fifth child, a girl named Navie-Nicola, with her new partner
Image credits: Callie Rogers
Another challenging aspect of winning the million-pound sum was questioning her relationships and trying to distinguish between those who truly cared for her and those who were merely interested in her money.
"Now I realize what they were like. I was exploited because of my age. I had a lot of fake relationships," the Workington, Cumbria, native revealed in 2018.
"Not knowing who liked me for me, and having all the stress of all the money...I just wanted to go back to having a normal life."
After winning £1.875 million ($2.428 million) at 16, Callie spent her money on houses, tattoos, cosmetic surgeries, clothes, and travel experiences
Image credits: Callie Rogers
"I was exploited because of my age. I had a lot of fake relationships," the mom said, reflecting on the challenges she faced after hitting the jackpot as a teen
Image credits: Callie Rogers
Callie called for the age limit for playing the National Lottery to be raised, a change that took effect in 2021. Now, only individuals aged 18 and over can purchase lottery tickets in the UK.
"People still ask me about the lottery win all the time," she shared. "You are only 16, with all that responsibility. At that age, you can get the best advice ever. But you are not in a position to listen.
"I was too young. Overnight, I went from carefree child to adult.
"Even when I go for job interviews, I am thinking about it. I suffer from such bad anxiety when I am going to meet new people. It preys on my mind, what a new partner’s family will think of me, or even new friends. I still get abuse just because of who I am."