by Erik Gibbs
A recent EuroMillions lottery winner scored one of the largest prizes possible. But instead of spending the money on yachts, mansions, and fancy clothes, he is giving away most of his fortune to save the planet.
A French man hit it big in a recent EuroMillions draw, according to Spain’s La Vanguardia media outlet. He could have purchased a chateau in the French Riviera overlooking the Mediterranean or even a vineyard in Bordeaux. He went a completely different route.
The lucky draw occurred on Dec. 11, 2020, although details just recently emerged. The man, known as “Guy,” had a one in 140 million chance of finding the right combination and winning the jackpot of €200 million, a record at the time.
Guy won €200 million (US$217 million) in the EuroMillions lottery. He’s using his fortune to improve the environment.
Not much is known about Guy. He is reportedly a man from the south of France who already had an interest in environmental protection.
Mega Jackpot Goes To Climate Change
Guy subsequently decided to create an endowment fund to, in his words, “support and act with those who want to protect the living and the links that unite Man and nature in the long term.”
That led to the creation of the Anyama Foundation, named after a city in Côte d’Ivoire.
The Anyama Foundation aims to protect the global environment and reduce the impact of climate change. The news was later confirmed by La Française des Jeux (FDJ), the French public company to which the government granted a monopoly on lotteries and sports betting. The amount of money Guy earmarked for the organization has not been revealed.
Philanthropic Wins
The person at the FDJ in charge of relations with the winners, Isabelle Cesari, commented that it is common for lottery winners to decide to donate part of their fortune to a variety of charitable and social causes.
Cesari gave us an example the case of a person who earned a fortune at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic but decided to allocate a large part of it to buy face masks and give them away.
Guy didn’t give all his money to charity, either. He allowed himself the luxury of owning a holiday residence and traveling around the country. However, it seems that his new fortune has not changed him. He reportedly continues to enjoy the same things, including spending time with his family and walking through the forest.
Since Guy’s win, two players, in Switzerland and Tahiti, have surpassed his win. They respectively won €210 million and €220 million ($228.35 million and $239.22 million) in 2021.
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