A LOTTO winner who scooped a £26 million prize has died just weeks after his record-breaking win.
Cattle rancher Antonio Lopes Siqueira, 73, collapsed during a routine dental appointment in Cuiaba, in the state of Matto Grosso, Brazil, on December 4.
Police are considering the possibility that the shock of the huge win just 24 days earlier weakened his heart and contributed to his death.
Siqueira had won the life-changing £25.7 million in the country’s Mega-Sena draw on November 9.
The coroner’s report could not immediately identify the cause of death, so further tests are being conducted.
Forensic teams are considering all possibilities, including that he had an existing heart condition, had been suffering from shock due to his huge win, or was murdered.
Antonio was attending for a routine dental appointment when he collapsed in the waiting room.
An autopsy discovered the father-of-four had suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest, but this has not been confirmed as his cause of death.
Antonio is also thought to have suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes.
A spokesperson for the state’s forensic medical department, Politec, said: “Additional exams will be necessary for this conclusion.”
A Mega-Sena lottery spokesperson, Yesser Dahrouge, said Antonio bought a ticket every week and used to joke about winning the jackpot.
Yesser said: “It’s very sad, everyone dreams of earning money like this. It’s a shame that he didn’t live to enjoy it.”
Antonio’s recent win, from a lucky dip game, was one of the 10 highest prizes in the history of the Brazilian lottery.
He played with the numbers 13, 16, 33, 43, 46 and 55, with odds of 50 million to one against a jackpot win.
The 73-year-old collapsed in the waiting room of a dentists[/caption]
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