For most people, winning the lottery means dreams coming true — but for one couple, it tore everything apart.
Michael Cartlidge, 39, thought he’d found both love and luck when he and his girlfriend Charlotte Cox, 37, won £1 million on a scratchcard in Spalding, England. But only weeks later, Charlotte walked out — and now refuses to share a single penny.

Michael insists the ticket was a team effort. “We bought it together. I suggested it, and I even tried to transfer her the money,” he said. Lottery officials from Camelot initially agreed the prize would be split, reviewing CCTV that appeared to show him sending payment. But after the National Lottery changed ownership, new officials decided Charlotte alone was the rightful winner.
Charlotte says otherwise. “I bought the ticket. He didn’t transfer me anything,” she told reporters. Friends say the win has caused nothing but heartache. “A million pounds has never brought so much misery,” one added.
Now, Michael is preparing to take legal action, determined to fight for what he believes is fair. “We won it together — and morally, it should be 50/50,” he said.

It’s a painful reminder that sometimes, when luck strikes, love doesn’t last — and money can cost more than it gives.