# If you won the lottery.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 1, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809 "2010-03-01T02:48:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/61 "2010-03-02T02:56:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Good point. It’s kind of like how left-handers have a hard time playing catcher in baseball: the awkwardness is difficult to explain until you’ve tried it. And the secret in both cases is practice. Just keep having sex with two women until you work past the awkwardness. ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/62 "2010-03-02T04:51:31Z")
Pay off bills. Have a house built with an art studio, garden and greenhouse. Travel. I have a new car that I like so I don’t need a car right away. Well, unless I got a second house–a vacation place where I needed to have another car. Don’t have to quit a job because I’m unemployed. Won’t have to worry about looking for a job anymore, will I? 😉 Put away enough to live the rest of my life. THEN. Does anyone remember the old TV program, The Millionaire? A Mr. Anthony went around giving people who needed it $1 million checks. He represented an “anonymous benefactor”. I want to be that “anonymous benefactor”. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/63 "2010-03-02T06:13:48Z")
… of 112 million USD. Will you dump your spouse/partner/SO ? Assume you two are having some minor issues . ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/64 "2010-03-02T06:48:57Z")
I doubt it. But, it depends on what the issues are. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/65 "2010-03-02T08:19:01Z")
All I know is, if I won some money, I would really really want to keep it all for myself, even though I know it’s wrong to be so selfish. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/66 "2010-03-02T08:40:59Z")
Why would I do that? However, I’d make it clear that he wasn’t seeing any of the money until I paid off my debts and split off a chunk of the money for my dad’s upcoming surgery, the repairs my parents’ house needs, and my eventual retirement in decades and decades. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/67 "2010-03-02T10:08:04Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > Good point. It’s kind of like how left-handers have a hard time playing catcher in baseball: the awkwardness is difficult to explain until you’ve tried it. There are drugs to remedy that. With a jackpot win, he’d be able to afford plenty. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/68 "2010-03-02T12:31:13Z")
We’re not in debt ourselves, but I’d pay off the bills for every family member and friend who wanted the help and treat them to trips or whatever they might want. I’d sock a lot away in safe investments so I don’t run out of money anytime soon. I’d build, or buy and renovate a dream house. It doesn’t have to be a mansion, maybe 3 bedrooms and a large kitchen, but also with a huge home theater and an outdoor AND indoor swimming pool so I could go swimming every day in the winter. I’d take 2 dream trips, one to New Zealand, making a quick stop in Hawaii on the way just so I can say I’ve been there, and one a leisurely driving trip from San Diego up to Vancouver via Hwy 1/101/whatever-it-is-in-Canada, then a cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage, Alaska. I don’t care about cars, jewelry, clothes or other high-dollar material items. I would buy a lot more DVDs though, and maybe a Smart Car or something small like it. I’d give a lot away to charities, especially animal and domestic violence shelters. What I’d really like to do, I’d fully fund an “Ecto Cruise” where I would get as many of my favorite and other female musicians as possible together for a slow cruise to New Zealand. I’m talking little-known (by the general public) artists such as Happy Rhodes (who of course would be headlining), Noe Venable, Jane Siberry, Charlotte Martin, Vienna Teng, Terami Hirsch, Sarah Fimm, Zoe Keating and dozens of others who have small but loyal followings, plus new artists. Male musicians would be allowed, but mainly if they were along to support the women and not headlining on their own, except at impromptu and unscheduled jam sessions. There’d be jam sessions going on every night into the wee hours of the morning. There’d be several different concerts going on every day and evening, at staggered times, with each artist playing several different days, so no one would have to miss any particular artist. If people can pay their way to go on the cruise, that’s fine, but if they can’t, they could go for free, all expenses paid. (Only a select audience would even be interested in these artists anyway, and they’d have to submit a detailed application to participate, so I wouldn’t get a bunch of free-loaders who don’t care about the music.) Artists and audience members could come and go via helicopter as their schedules allow. It would be wonderful, magical, and very expensive, but so worth it. ---
**Author:** ![HotSmoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d9b06d/32.png) [@HotSmoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HotSmoke)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/69 "2010-03-02T12:36:19Z")
I was wondering if you have to let them publicly release your name. In Florida I don’t think they do,since we have had winners announced in the news with the newsacaster saying something like “A West Palm Beach couple won the lottery.” Is this the same in all the other states? I sure as hell wouldn’t want the whole world to know I won the lottery. I have some exes that would make my life a sheer living hell. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/70 "2010-03-02T13:17:21Z")
> [@HotSmoke](#): > > I was wondering if you have to let them publicly release your name. In Florida I don’t think they do,since we have had winners announced in the news with the newsacaster saying something like “A West Palm Beach couple won the lottery.” Is this the same in all the other states? I sure as hell wouldn’t want the whole world to know I won the lottery. . Officially, most (if not all) states require winners to be available for publicity. However, there’s a way around it (which I learned about here on the Dope). It goes like this: [ul] [li]Hire a lawyer to set up a blind trust (I think that’s what it’s called). Most lawyers should be able to do this in a matter of minutes.[/li][li]Name yourself as the executor of said trust.[/li][li]Donate the ticket to the trust.[/li][li]Your lawyer takes the ticket to the lottery office, the money goes into the trust’s account (to which you have free and unfettered access = profit).[/li][li]The media has nothing to report, because all they know is that someone claimed the ticket, but reporting that it went to the Cecil Adams Trust is too boring to report on the news.[/li][li]You remain anonymous.[/li][li]Give your lawyer a nice commission.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/71 "2010-03-02T14:48:17Z")
Merged the two wishy threads together. All you need is a dollar and a dream – and one thread to bind them all. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/72 "2010-03-02T15:15:02Z")
I like the sure investment saftey net ideas that have been proposed. I would also buy up maybe a million in gold - not on paper, I would have the actual gold. Maybe bury it out in my acreage in a watertight safe. I’d choose a random spot based on GPS coordinates, not landmarks. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/73 "2010-03-02T20:11:43Z")
Assuming a decent amount…say 30 million after everything has been taken into account… I would set up funds for both of my parents. Probably more for my mom, because I still have a relationship with her; I don’t with my dad. But, regardless of all of that, they’re my parents; if I can take care of them, I’m honor-bound to try. Say. . .two million to each, approximately. Enough to keep them comfortable and not working. I’d also pay off my sister’s student loans, which’re going to end up being around 40-50K. Other than that, I probably wouldn’t tell anyone. I’d set up a good chunk for continuing income, buy property in a couple of places, and just live things out the way they will. I wouldn’t be in my current job; I might go back to school, because I love learning. And I’d have a maid. 'Cause…really. Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/74 "2010-03-02T20:19:50Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > I’d buy all girls on my block a color TV and a bottle of french perfume, and donate half my money to the city so they have to name a street or a school or a park after me. I’d buy them all silver-plated six shooters and pour the finest Highland Scotch. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/75 "2010-03-02T20:53:19Z")
I’m in the “quit my job, spend the rest of my life racking up degrees” camp. Would definitely blow up to a few million on a “practical” fun aircraft (something like a Cessna Mustang or Corvalis 350–a nice proper luxury business craft) and at least two houses in different climates. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/76 "2010-03-02T21:11:51Z")
You guys are all dreaming up small potatoes. Three chicks. At the same time ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/77 "2010-03-02T21:15:56Z")
Pay off our remaining debt Quit my job but invest a couple hundred grand in my company as a silent partner Buy a house with a customized kitchen for cash Buy my wife whatever car she wanted Buy the guns and toys I’ve been wanting but can’t afford (That will still add up to less than $50K) Give $1M each to [Protect.org](http://Protect.org) and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, along with $2M spread out among local theatre companies Other than that, there’s a lot of traveling my wife and I would like to do, but for the rest of our lives that would still likely leave $40-50M still sitting around. It would be nice to have that kind of cushion. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/78 "2010-03-02T22:26:58Z")
I’d get the lawyers and everything. After that I would: -Bump my wedding guest list from 25 to around 50 or so, just enough to be able to rent out this restaurant I like. At one corner we will have a tiny stage so Jason Mraz can play acoustically. -One month honeymoon and go all over Europe and have an Alaskan cruise. -I’d pay off my brother’s debt (student loans and the like). -Set up trusts so that my nephews and children’s college are taken care of completely (just tuition though. I still want them to have to work a little bit for their degree). -Pay my brother-in-law to get a degree. -I’ve always wanted to own an olde timey ice cream parlor. I want one of those. -I’ve also always wanted to own a bar. I will have my former best man run that. -I also want to own a coffee shop with live music and such. -Buy 2 places in Santa Barbara and a place in Isla Vista as income property. Hire someone to take care of it. -Fix my '64 1/2 Mustang and my Bug, and fix up the current car I have. -Pay off my grandparents medical bills. I will probably have to fight to be able to do that. -Buy at least 3 acres of land and build my dream home. My dream home will be the same as what I want it to be now, except now I’ll have an indoor pool and a “bunk” room in the back for ten people to sleep. -A small, two bedroom guest house on my property. I want my siblings and nephews to be close. -Every 5 years have a big family vacation. -Every other summer go somewhere with just my immediate family. -Finish school and become either a nurse or a teacher. -Pay for my (then)wife’s school. -Certain people will get money depending on how much I like them, with the understanding that they will never ask me for money again (unless it’s something like their kid needs surgery or something). Crazy Aunt Lulu who said my marriage will last no longer than 5 years? A check for a dollar. My awesome Aunt Margaret who will also become my accountant? ~50 grand. -Once I graduate the girlie and I will take a month and travel the U.S. to find out where we want to settle down. -Invest whatever is left conservatively. -I’m stealing that “two million aside” idea. -Donate to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation and the Dream Foundation. -If I have the money to, I’d endow a school with my name on it. I will have my brother run it, if he wanted. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/79 "2010-03-02T23:13:09Z")
I would pay off all my debt. Its not much, about 25K. Donate my house and to worthy local charity. Again it is not much, but they could profit from it. Make sure my sister and her family set for life. Some sort of trust fund where she has a steady income for the rest of her life, and for her three kids. I would try to live some place where I don’t have to worry about the annoyances. like mowing, shoveling, gardening, cooking, cleaning. Sounds like a condo with maid service. I wouldn’t travel much, although I would probably go to Vegas once or twice a year. Become a “snowbird” because I don’t like cold. I love my golf course and most of the people at it. i would invest into the golf course to make it better for my buddies and me. Better maintenance, better hole design. ---
**Author:** ![RainGrowsBrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RainGrowsBrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainGrowsBrite)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809/80 "2010-03-03T00:03:19Z")
Travel travel TRAVEL! ALL OVER THE GLOBE. And then hopefully beyond that! I also love the idea of researching people in need and being their anonymous benefactor. Sorta like 7 Pounds… but with money. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-won-the-lottery/530809.md?page=5)