How to Become a Lottery Winner
Most states and countries offer multiple ways to win, but the basic idea is that you purchase a ticket and mark your chosen numbers in a grid on an official lottery playslip. You can also try scratch-off tickets, which look like regular lottery tickets but have portions that can be scratched off to reveal whether or not you’ve won a prize.
When you win the lottery, it can feel as if your dreams have come true, but not all winners experience the same life-changing thrills. Some end up bankrupt, broke or adrift only a few years after their big win.
Evelyn Basehore beat one in 15 trillion odds when she won $3.9 million and another $1.4 million by playing the Pick Six lottery in 1985, but gambled much of the money away and gave it to others. Within five years, the once-wealthy woman was riding a bus to her part-time job and living in a trailer park in Brick, New Jersey.
To minimize the risk of a similar fate, it’s important for aspiring lottery winners to carefully form a team of professionals. This team should include an attorney for estate planning, a financial advisor and a CPA to handle tax preparation. It’s also a good idea to maintain your privacy as much as possible. This will help you avoid being harassed by long-lost “friends” who want to cash in on your winnings. It’ll also keep you away from scammers who prey on people whose lives are suddenly turned upside down by sudden wealth.