An accountant won $78 million in the lottery, but isn't quitting his job until he's wrapped up all his clients' taxes

• British accountant Richard Nuttall and his wife won $78 million in the EuroMillions lottery.
• Nuttall plans to continue working until he finishes his clients' taxes.

A British accountant became a millionaire overnight after he and his wife won around £61 million ($78 million).

Despite becoming instantly rich enough to stop working forever, he said he wouldn't let his clients down.

Richard Nuttall gave a press conference after winning the EuroMillions describing his plans.

He said he and his wife, Debbie, wouldn't make huge changes right away, according to a press release issued by The National Lottery.

Nuttall said: "Obviously I am not going to leave anyone in the lurch - my clients have been fantastic and loyal to me and I will of course do their payroll if they are stuck."

A new hairdryer, golf clubs, and bedding

The couple described making some relatively modest purchases to celebrate: a set of golf clubs for Richard and a hairdryer for Debbie, according to reports by the Daily Mail and Sky News.

They went on to purchase a couple of splashier items, including bedding worth around $1,500, and a new BMW X5 worth around $152,000, the reports said.

They said they could cancel a previous plan to downsize from their three-bedroom home for retirement.

Instead, they said, they would look for a larger home in the UK and a vacation home in Portugal.

"Our lives are going to be so different. We have worked hard all our lives and we are now very much looking forward to taking life a bit easier," he added, per the press release.

The press release added that they also planned to support a cancer charity, BK's Heroes, set up to honor their nephew Ben King, who died of a rare cancer aged 27.

Richard's decision to stay in work to wrap things up is a change when looking at lottery winners of the past.

As Business Insider previously reported, there has been a steady stream of extravagant or reckless spending among lottery winners around the world, which has led to debt, family feuds, and regret, with many winners eventually returning to their old lives.

Emily Irwin, a financial advisor to lottery winners, previously told BI that winners have the best chance at protecting their winnings by forming a team of advisors and avoiding overspending.

"After winning the lottery, people see six zeros, nine zeros, or even 10 zeros in their bank account, and they think it's not possible for them to spend all of that," Irwin said.

"But it is certainly possible if you buy five $50 million homes, and buy a private jet," she added.