Sad you aren't the Powerball winner?

[germdoc]

Read about the world's single largest jackpot winner, Jack Whittaker, then think again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Wh...lottery_winner)

I guess I'll just keep on punching my timeclock...

[MilDoc]

Today a winner claimed $116 MILLION. Don't care the consequences, I could live with that!

[Ed62]

That would probably be enough to last me at least till the end of the year.

Ed

[cgallery]

A fool and his money...

[jziegler]

What amazes me most is that after having over $500,000 stolen from his car once, he had, much later, $100,000 stolen. Why carry thta much cash, especially once you had a ton of cash stolen before?

Jim

[germdoc]

What amazes me most is that after having over $500,000 stolen from his car once, he had, much later, $100,000 stolen. Why carry thta much cash, especially once you had a ton of cash stolen before?

Jim

What is it the proverb says about a fool and his money?

[radhak]

Its not just the money - this is a life in a train wreck.
check out this , very detailed and almost empathetic account of all the lives that were impacted.

I strongly believe that chap must have had a cracked soul already. Its not often that somebody goes downhill so much so fast. All other big winners seem to have handled it much better.

[gad5264]

Its not just the money - this is a life in a train wreck.
check out this , very detailed and almost empathetic account of all the lives that were impacted.

I strongly believe that chap must have had a cracked soul already. Its not often that somebody goes downhill so much so fast. All other big winners seem to have handled it much better.

That is one sad story.

[BigguyZ]

I'll take the riches. I don't think that money can change you, it just highlights your flaws as a person. I, of course, am flawless- so it wouldn't matter to me!

[jziegler]

Definately a troubled man.

Of course, who knows what that kind of money would do to anyone.

As to the fool and his money, well, that seems pretty true here.

Jim

[Mrs. Wallnut]

If I had won that big lottery drawing I had plans to build Mark a huge shop and buy him a bunch of tools. But oh well its nice to have dreams.

[scorrpio]

The biggest problem is social. A big win like that puts you in a financial bracket that is totally incompatible with your social. Your old society no longer views you as equal and no longer really accepts you - you are viewed as potential source of easy cash (which attracts the worst) and little more. However, the upper class society of similar financial status will not accept you either - they are tied in a power network of carefully cultivated connections, and you are no part of it.

As a result, the winner ends up in a social vacuum that is quickly filled with parasites. One may also get a feeling that he are not enjoying his money's worth, and, goaded by 'new found friends', starts hitting the extremes of extravagance - which includes establishments that can pump any amount of money out of someone in record times. Oh, another problem - to the winner, this kind of money may feel 'infinite', and the 'finity' of it slams real hard when, after a spending binge, he actually ends up owing more than he'll ever be able to pay.

I think the way to deal with it is to keep your head, remember who were your friends BEFORE the big win, invest most of the money in a diversified portfolio, and try to put some distance between yourself and the sharks. I'd say go someplace out of country, go someplace people don't know you, and those who do cannot afford to reach you, keep quiet about your money, lets the media hullabaloo die out. Return back, and establish a lifestyle a notch above what you had before, hopefully in an area not too close to your prior location. Realize that it is too late for you, and use wealth to pave future for your kids - get them into right schools and colleges, so they can build the right connections and gain acceptance to the society matching their new financial status.

Keep yourself busy, doing something productive - start a business and try to make it profitable without the help of your main funds. Only if you are doing good, pour some money in, expand.

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In short, I think that winning lottery is not enough. You have to EARN that money in order to be able to really enjoy it. People who realize that don't even waste time playing lottery.