A former football hooligan who once described violence as "the best buzz in the world" is now living as a EuroMillions millionaire, having completely transformed his life after serving multiple prison sentences.
From Prison to Property Portfolio
Daniel Wright, 41, was once at the centre of Bradford City's notorious hooligan firm The Ointment, responsible for arranging violent clashes with rival supporters across the country. The gang earned its intimidating reputation by meeting opponents miles from stadiums to avoid police detection.
Wright received three football banning orders during his years of violence and even boasted about his brutal antics on television, telling Danny Dyer's Real Football Factory documentary in 2006: "When it kicks off, it's the best buzz in the world. No drugs can touch it."
His criminal history includes a 27-month prison sentence in 2008 after being caught on CCTV attacking Rotherham United fans outside a Bradford pub. The sentencing judge condemned him as "a committed football hooligan who revelled in his notoriety" and handed him an eight-year nationwide stadium ban.
The Life-Changing Lottery Win
In April 2022, Wright's fortunes dramatically changed when he won £1 million tax-free through the EuroMillions UK Millionaire Maker draw. He discovered his windfall while holidaying in Cape Verde, initially believing he'd won a much smaller amount.
"I had an email saying 'you've won'. I thought I'd won £2.50 or something like that," Wright recalled. "I logged into the app and I thought I'd won £1,000. Then I started counting the zeros. I couldn't believe it."
EuroMillions operator Camelot only queried the win because Wright was abroad - not because of his extensive criminal record. Wright had previously researched whether convicted criminals could claim prizes, stating: "I knew they couldn't refuse to pay convicted criminals. There's no point playing it if they wouldn't pay out."
Building a New Life in Yorkshire
One of Wright's first actions after receiving his windfall was to move away from Bradford, purchasing a £250,000 new-build three-bedroom house in the North Yorkshire market town of Yarm, approximately 80 miles from his former hunting ground.
He described the relocation as a conscious effort to reform, explaining: "I love my mates to pieces but we're bad influences on each other. I didn't want to do what I used to."
Wright has invested wisely in property, buying several rental properties and joining a property development company. His most extravagant purchase was a £40,000 Rolex watch he'd always wanted, while pride of place in his home goes to a massive 100-inch television where he watches his beloved Bradford City.
However, money hasn't completely eliminated his reckless behaviour. He's currently banned from driving after accumulating speeding points in his brand-new £40,000 Golf GTI. "I had a stupid moment," he admitted. "I got speeding points and thought, well that's me banned. So I wondered how fast I can go."
Reflecting on a Violent Past
Wright's hooligan career spanned years of organised violence. In 2016, he received another prison sentence of three-and-a-half years for his involvement in a mass brawl in a Halifax bar.
Reflecting on his sentencing, Wright claimed: "I've paid the price. Probably more than any hooligan I know. I don't know many more who have had sentences like that."
Despite his transformation, Wright admits he still misses the thrill of football violence. In a recent podcast promoting his new novel, he confessed: "I don't do it anymore but if you said to me I do it tomorrow and get away with it, there'd be no repercussions, I'd be there in a shot."
His debut novel, Northern Monkeys, published in late November, offers a fictionalised account of his time in The Ointment. Looking to the future, Wright has ambitious dreams of eventually becoming chairman of Bradford City, though he acknowledges he'd need substantially more wealth to achieve this goal.
Unlike other notorious lottery winners like Michael Carroll, who squandered his £9.7 million fortune, Wright insists he's managed his money carefully, focusing on property investments rather than extravagant spending sprees.
