He won over ₦20bn at 19... then life happened: The wild story of the lottery winner who ended up back as a refuse collector

• Michael Carroll won £9.7 million in the UK National Lottery at age 19 while working as a refuse collector.

• He spent millions on houses, luxury cars, parties, jewellery and gave £1 million each to close family members.

• Carroll's life became filled with legal troubles, including an ASBO and a nine-month prison sentence for affray.

• By 2010, he had returned to working as a refuse collector, saying he had "no regrets" about how he spent his fortune.

Imagine waking up one morning as a teenager with billions suddenly sitting in your account, only to end up years later back at the same job you had before the money came. Sounds like something straight out of a movie, but that's exactly what happened to Michael Carroll.

The Englishman became one of Britain's most famous lottery winners after scooping £9.7 million (worth well over ₦20 billion in today's exchange rates) in the UK National Lottery in 2002 when he was just 19 years old.

At the time, Carroll worked part-time as a refuse collector and didn't even have a bank account. According to him, his attempt to open one at the prestigious Coutts bank failed because of his criminal record.

Winning the jackpot instantly turned Carroll into a celebrity across the UK.

The British tabloids nicknamed him the "Lotto Lout", while he proudly called himself the "King of Chavs" because of his loud lifestyle and love for showing off.

Before the money arrived, Carroll had spoken openly about living with dyslexia and ADHD, saying he was barely able to read and write properly by the time he finished secondary school.

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Like many lottery winners, Carroll didn't just spend money on himself.

He reportedly gave £1 million each to his mother, aunt and sister.

He also invested around £1 million through Rangers Financial Management because he was a passionate Rangers FC supporter.

Financial advisers also helped him set up a £3.9 million investment bond that generated monthly income. The idea was for him to leave that money untouched unless he absolutely needed it. But once withdrawals began, hefty penalties and deductions quickly ate into the fund.

As the years went by, Carroll became almost as famous for his off-field lifestyle as he was for winning the lottery.

Reports said he spent huge sums on luxury homes, expensive cars, jewellery, drugs and non-stop parties.

His legal troubles also piled up.

In 2005, he was handed an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) after authorities found he had been firing steel balls at cars and windows with a catapult. He received 240 hours of community service and was warned that breaking the order could land him behind bars.

That same year, Channel 4 aired the documentary Michael Carroll: King of Chavs, which explored whether there was more to him than the image created by Britain's tabloids.

In 2006, Carroll was jailed for nine months after being convicted of affray. During sentencing, the court heard that he had accumulated 42 previous offences since 1997.

Later that year, reports claimed he was almost broke after spending much of his fortune on houses, parties, jewellery, cars and drugs.

Carroll, however, denied rumours that he had completely run out of money.

Not everything Carroll did revolved around controversy.

In 2005, he stepped into the boxing ring for a celebrity fight against former Gladiators star Mark Smith. The contest ended in a draw.

He also published an autobiography in 2006 titled Careful What You Wish For, offering his own version of the incredible rise and fall that made headlines across Britain.

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By 2010, Carroll had returned to working as a refuse collector, the same type of job he held before becoming a millionaire.

Despite everything that happened, he insisted he had no regrets.

"I have no regrets," Carroll said after returning to work, maintaining that he accepted the way his life had unfolded.

His story has since become one of the world's most famous cautionary tales about sudden wealth. While many people dream of hitting the jackpot, Carroll's experience is often used as a reminder that winning millions doesn't automatically guarantee a happy ending. Managing money, staying away from destructive habits and making wise long-term decisions can matter just as much as the size of the cheque.