The man hit the jackpot just five months after finalizing his divorce from his ex-wife, Eileen Murray.
Imagine if your former spouse suddenly became a multimillionaire right after your separation—how would you react?
That’s exactly what happened to Eileen Murray when her ex-husband, Mike Weirsky, won an astonishing $273 million lottery prize only months after their marriage officially ended.
The couple had been together for 15 years, during which Mike often struggled to keep a steady job. Eileen became the main provider, ensuring the household’s financial stability while Mike faced ongoing employment challenges.
In many relationships where one partner is financially dependent on the other, alimony often follows a divorce. It’s meant to support the dependent spouse for a certain period even after the marriage ends.
As WomensLaw.org explains: “Your spouse can be ordered to pay you alimony if the judge finds that you were financially dependent on your spouse during the marriage (‘the dependent party’).”
In Eileen and Mike’s case, the court ordered Eileen to pay alimony to Mike for five years following their split—a decision that reflected the financial dynamic of their relationship.
But what no one could have predicted—especially Eileen—was that just five months later, Mike would become the winner of a life-changing $273 million Mega Millions jackpot in 2019.
Speaking with Inside Edition about the twist of fate, Eileen shared how ironic it felt to still owe alimony to a man who had just become a multimillionaire.
“To him, [the alimony] is pocket change at this point,” she said.
“Think about the amount of money that he has just won. What I’m paying him is a pittance.”
Eileen made it clear, however, that she wasn’t trying to go after his newfound fortune.
“I don’t want anyone to misconstrue that I’m coming after him,” she clarified.
Clips from her interview quickly went viral, reigniting online debates about fairness, alimony obligations, and how financial justice should play out after divorce.
Some social media users couldn’t help but remark that Mike had “won twice”—first with the alimony ruling, and then with the lottery.
“He won twice!” one commenter joked.
Others sympathized with Eileen, arguing that after years of supporting him, Mike could have shown some gratitude.
“It would be a nice idea to gift her a little $$ money to make her life a little easier,” one user suggested.
Another agreed: “I’d still give her a few mil for supporting him all those years and move on.”
So, what do you think? Should Mike have shared part of his winnings as a gesture of appreciation, or is it fair that he kept the entire fortune to himself?
