I’ve been daydreaming about this for years, so I’m fully prepared to answer this question.
If I won the lottery, I’d dole out money to my friends and family members based on a system: if they’ve ever wronged me or even looked at me the wrong way before, their total amount goes down.
Then I’d say “Adios”, change my phone number, and head off to a tropical paradise by myself for a couple of weeks just to relax and reflect…and then I’d figure out what I was going to do next…
It might happen, right?
Here are some responses from AskReddit users.
1. The plan.
“First, immediately invest half of it. Pick an investment package that pays me regular dividends so I never have to worry about income or running out of money. And while OP only asked for the first thing, I can’t help but share the grand plan …
Next, setup two accounts for my kids who are currently elementary school age. They’ll get the money once they turn 21.
Then pay my Mom and my Dad (they’ve been divorced for decades) each a large lump sum (amount depending on lottery sum).
After that, give a few hundred thousand to select charities.
Now it’s time to work with some architects to design the perfect, off-grid, totally autonomous house(s). Solar, wind, geothermal, modern materials, efficient design.
Everything necessary to make the place completely self-sufficient and as green as possible. In addition, as a car guy I would have a huge, badass garage filled with my favorite cars.”
2. A smart move.
“Hiring a lawyer to establish a trust to claim the winnings so that I can stay anonymous.”
3. Here’s what I’d do…
“Draw up a plan of how security and relative secrecy can be maintained for the rest of my life – i’d obviously remain anonymous.
Also if you ever do win and decide to share your winnings with freinds and family, never tell anyone how much you’ve won, that way whether you give them $10k or $1M they’ll never be able to judge/complain that you gave them too little.
I think most winners overlook these two key points.”
4. I like where this is headed.
“Get a lawyer. Delete Facebook. Never tell a single person.
Show up to work as if nothing wild has happened. Silently finance firefly season 2.”
5. Family first.
“Wipe out my parents debts and give them a comfortable life.
They’ve both struggled their entire lives and have done everything for my sisters and I.”
6. Nice and easy.
“Hire a lawyer, claim it anonymously.
Second, talk to a financial planner and set a fiscal plan for life.
Third, probably go on vacation.”
7. Different phases.
“Lawyer up. Financial advisor up. Pay off debt. Give away everything but the essentials. Three days at the Mayo Clinic getting the executive level physical – every test imaginable, poured over by the best and brightest to make sure there’s nothing going on that’s going to mess-up phase 2.
Phase 2: 3-4 months at the minimum in the presidential suite of a 5-star resort. My team of trainers, medical & mental health professionals and personal chef get me in the best shape possible for someone my age. The minor cosmetic surgeries are healing well.
Phase 3: I lease an amazing home on the ocean. I locate a local personal trainer to keep me on task. My rep at the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance finds me an awesome 60’s convertible, not too crazy, I don’t want to kill myself. I casually text my first crush (who’s still beautiful by the way) and we meet for a drink. This goes well, trust me, this goes well.
Phase 4: Time to travel. I suggest to said crush I was thinking of doing some island hopping through the Mediterranean, my yacht and crew are standing-by in Monaco. Wanna join me? This goes well, trust me, this goes well.
Phase 5: Whatever we want.”
8. A simple life.
“Nothing. I’ll just make sure I never go to bed hungry again
Big houses and fast cars are pointless so I’ll just keep living life but not have to worry about which days of the week I can eat.”
9. Livin’ easy.
“I would buy a tropical island and be naked on the beach for the rest of my life, buy a house in the country and have a gorgeous vegetable and flower garden, or pay off bills so I didn’t have to
live with debt every damn day.”
10. At least you’re honest.
“Honestly, I’m not smart enough to think of hiring a lawyer like everybody else here.
I’d help my immediate family first, open a money market account with a credible credit union, find myself a nice home, and play whatever videogames I want until I inevitably blow all my money on useless stuff like booze and cosplay. Maybe I’d become a cringey streamer with no actual skill.”
11. Help out your people.
“After the obvious of hiring an attorney and setting up a trust so I can remain anonymous, I’d pay off all my debt, girlfriend’s debt, brother and SIL debt, and my parents.
I’d make sure the people around me are set up and comfortable, nothing crazy, no big mansions, just like a nice house on some land and new, reliable vehicles. I’d buy a good amount of land and build a self-sustaining homestead for myself and start an animal sanctuary.
Not some tiger king shit, like rescued horses and stuff.”
12. Just my girlfriend and I.
“Buy a house with a barn out in the middle of nowhere.
Buy a lot of freezers and some really accurate rifles.
Buy a lot of 1970’s motorcycles.
Buy a lot of tools.
Basically tell no one, and my girlfriend and I could live off the grid and keep ourselves entertained for a decade or two.”
13. Fulfill your soul.
“Sometimes when I can’t sleep I dream about what I would do with the lottery. I already know what house, car, vacation home I want. But if it was a big one, like the 70 million lotto max yesterday, I would love to do stuff in my community.
Put gift cards in food bank baskets, pay for seniors food at the grocery store without them knowing until their order is through. Find families that need help and drop off everything they could need for a year so they can get their finances in order – clothes for their kids, a full pantry and freezer, gas cards, any repairs they need on their car.
I also would love to set up a local endowment so that stay at home moms can get their tuition paid to get an education to get back to work. I have an education but no experience and I’m scared about entering the work force. I think we need to help moms more.
I’d love to buy an area of land and get tiny homes built to help vets, those fleeing domestic abuse, those who are homeless, a place to get a new start.
I’d buy kids toys that promote stem for Christmas bureaus since these can be expensive and I want kids to find a passion.
But I’d do fun stuff too. I remember there was a gold hunt when I was younger in the newspaper. Those were the best. I’d do things like that to give people some entertainment.
There’s so much I would love to do that would fulfill my soul. But the absolute first thing I would do is buy a ticket for my family to the other side of the world and take 2 weeks off the grid to process and decide how we’re going to move forward, while also enjoying a vacation I’ve been waiting years for.”
14. Watch out for this person.
“Settle my debts, then settle my enemies.”
Ahhhhh, it’s okay to dream about that, right?
What about you?
In the comments, tell us the first thing you’d do if you won the lottery.
Let’s see what you come up with!
