# You've got 10 grand, and want to turn it into a million. What do YOU do? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 5, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669 "2004-02-05T14:59:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arturius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Arturius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arturius)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/1 "2004-02-05T14:59:39Z")
This threads more for fun then actual investement advice. How would you go about turning 10 grand into 1 million big ones? Im thinking of some fun, creative ideas like: - Overseas trip to Africa to import rare looking masks to be sold in New York, ultimatly setting up an import/export business. - Becoming an illegal bookmaker - Investing in 3 risky biotechnology stocks, breaking into there labs, faking results, then when results are released reaping the rewards Can be legal or illegal šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/2 "2004-02-05T15:04:22Z")
Legal: Nice safe index fund. Should take just under 60 years. Not legal: Hire a cheap Afghani mercenary army to break into Fort Knox. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/3 "2004-02-05T15:40:35Z")
Buy the latest scanners and lasar printers, and use them to literally ā€œmakeā€ money; i.e. copies of the remaining bills. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/4 "2004-02-05T15:47:09Z")
Iā€™d find a way to buy into a casino, or Iā€™d find a way to buy into Donald Trump. Or, Iā€™d try to way to capitalize on the gullibility and stupidity of the average American. (hmmm, maybe I already mentioned those) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/5 "2004-02-05T17:07:25Z")
General Questions is for questions with factual answers. IMHO is for opinions and polls. Off to IMHO. **DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/6 "2004-02-05T17:22:48Z")
Short the stock market, then hack into the newswires and report N. Korea has just dropped the bomb on China. Cover your short position after the market takes a dive. Then go long and sell after the market recovers. ---
**Author:** ![Skeptico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@Skeptico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeptico)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/7 "2004-02-05T17:23:41Z")
Take the $10,000 and use it to trade $1,000,000 on margin (1:100 leverage) with an online brokerage. Use all the money to buy put options on big, liquid, publicly traded company X. Proceed to ā€œliquidateā€ CEO of company X in a very public, grisly fashion. Liquidate your position as soon as the news hit CNBC. (Put a limit order if you donā€™t want to sit in front of the TV waiting). šŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2004, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/8 "2004-02-05T17:25:54Z")
I have an email from an African businessman who simply needs your help moving some of his familyā€™s wealth to the US from the banks in his country. Perhaps youā€™d like me to forward it to you? ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/9 "2004-02-06T04:11:10Z")
Use the $10,000 to bribe a politician. Get large government contract as a result of this bribe. Count the cash, and flee to a country without an extradition policy. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/10 "2004-02-06T15:12:21Z")
I can turn it into a million penniesā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![DreadLead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@DreadLead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadLead)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/11 "2004-02-06T17:13:07Z")
There is an internet company that was 1.1 cents last year, was as high as $1.35 last monthā€¦10 k wouldā€™ve given you a millionā€¦it is all a gamble,isnā€™t it??? ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/12 "2004-02-06T17:27:52Z")
Take money to Vegas. Buy $10,000 worth of chips. Go to Roulette wheel, bet on **BLACK** or **RED**. Your choice. Win. Repeat 6 times. Cash in chips. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/13 "2004-02-06T17:31:05Z")
Oh, and you have to let your winnings ride. Almost forgot to tell you that. Whew! This is why Iā€™m not a financial advisor. I miss the little thingsā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/14 "2004-02-06T17:54:21Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > Oh, and you have to let your winnings ride. 1. What do you mean by this, andā€¦ 2. Isnā€™t there a limit to how much you can bet? You canā€™t just go in there and throw 10 million on red and win, can you? You would win 50% of the time and the house wouldnā€™t really like that. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/15 "2004-02-06T18:56:12Z")
_Au contraire_, the casino would just love it if you went in and put 10 mil on red or black. Keep in mind that, because the roulette wheel has a green ā€œ0ā€ and ā€œ00,ā€ the odds of picking red or black correctly are actually 18/38, or 47.37%, even though you still get the double-or-nothing payoff. At a player return of 94.74%, thatā€™s a house edge of 5.26%. So, on average, the house would be seeing a $526,000 vig on that $10 million bet. Nice money if you can make it. Like the man said, ā€œThey ainā€™t buildinā€™ those big casino 'cause they _lose_ money.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/16 "2004-02-06T18:58:28Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > 1. What do you mean by this, andā€¦ > 2. Isnā€™t there a limit to how much you can bet? You canā€™t just go in there and throw 10 million on red and win, can you? You would win 50% of the time and the house wouldnā€™t really like that. šŸ™‚ 1. ā€œLet your winnings rideā€ means that you add your winnings to your original bet. So you donā€™t keep just betting $10,000. You bet $10,000, then $20,000, then $40,000 until you get over $1,000,000. 2. La la la la! I canā€™t hear you! La la la la la laā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/17 "2004-02-06T19:36:58Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I can turn it into a million penniesā€¦ Ahh, but the OP said ā€œ1 million big onesā€. Fortunately, thereā€™s a railroad track nearbyā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Ryle\_Dup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ryle\_Dup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryle_Dup)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/18 "2004-02-06T23:54:53Z")
Legally? Downpayment on a fixer upper house in a good area, (worst in the neighborhood) subcontract out major fixes, hire short term labor out and fix up the house quickly. Flip it over fast to either a larger real estate development company, or flip it semi-fast to another person / company / business / entity. Do this a couple times till I have around 50-100,000 dollars in money, set aside a sizable amount in mutual funds, and set up a monthly deposit into those mutual funds. Start buying land in good locations, contract out the buildings and develop property, flip it over quickly. Continue flipping property and depositing into a mutual fund until you have enough to hold onto property. Then start buying land, keeping it and renting it out in the right places. Continue investing in a mutual fund, spread money around through many things, invest in hard things like gold and silver. Start putting a lot into developing rent-properties, and eventually hire managing companies that will do everything including collecting rent. After this, sit back, set a larger portion of your passive income into mutual funds, keep a small portion for short term real estate things, and use the rest to live on. In several years you will have several million dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youve-got-10-grand-and-want-to-turn-it-into-a-million-what-do-you-do/227669/19 "2004-02-07T02:22:20Z")
Ever see ā€œHow to Marry A Millionaireā€