Playing the lottery is a dangerous, addictive, and sometimes rewarding hobby. Usually, you cash in two or three dollars from the five you spend on the ticket, yet if you’re lucky, you can win big bucks or a jackpot. Here are ten accounts of what jackpot winners did with their newfound wealth.
1. Eight Figure Winners
When a neighbor won eight figures in a lottery, it seemed like not much changed for them, although the neighborhood took notice. One forum member describes how the winner “stayed in the same house. They added a second story to that house. Put a lot of statues in the yard. So now there’s this house, and it’s kind of in a rough area behind a fast food place… They stayed loyal to their community, and I respect that. Also, they have a golf cart to ride to the corner store and buy their daily scratch-offs,” they explain.
2. Clock Teacher
A woodworking teacher purchased lottery tickets frequently and had two lucky strikes. He won around $250,000 on each of the winning tickets but refused to leave his passion for teaching. Instead, he halted trying to calm the class down and resorted to YouTube as a stand-in instructor.
3. Family Man
This lottery winner beams over his reward and says, “I won $250,000 on a $5 scratch-off eight years ago. It was right before Christmas, and I had been fired two weeks before. After taxes, we got a check for $167,000 and some change. I paid off all credit cards, bought my wife a brand-new Honda Accord, and bought a small business. I lived off it for several years while I grew my business and my wife got her Master’s degree. It was life-changing!”
4. Deacon
One respondent says their deacon won a large sum of money but maintained his humbleness. Instead of indulging in selfish purchases and flashy cars, he gave the money back to the church, investing in recording equipment to capture the sermons for those who couldn’t make the functions. Apart from serving as a deacon, he kept his job at a rehabilitation center.
5. Cafe Frequenter
Purchasing a piping hot or chilled coffee daily racks up the bank account and hurts the wallet. A cafe worker writes that one of their regular customers won the lottery and took home 1.2 million dollars. However, no amount of money can take a coffee connoisseur away from their favorite cafe. The lottery winner continues to stop by for a sip each morning.
6. Potential Bestseller
All writers strive to crack into the New York Times Bestselling list and make millions. She got a new vehicle after an aspiring novelist cashed in her $82,000 lottery prize. She left her job for a year to pen that bestseller. Though her book didn’t reach the bestseller list, she spent a year working on a passion project before returning to her day job.
7. Forklift for the Win
A former forklift employee states their old coworker won one million from a scratch-off ticket and used it responsibly. The man purchased a new house and newer vehicles for his family and set up a steady college fund to support his sons’ college careers. He used every penny to invest in his family’s future.
8. Home Repairs
“My mom was a manager in a white-collar office. One year, she made holiday gift baskets and bought a bunch of scratchers to put in them. She tossed the extras on her desk and forgot about them. One day, she got bored and decided to scratch them all off. One ended up being a $50,000 winner,” one member describes. “I think my parents redid the hardwood floor with the money.”
9. Dog Rescue
Winning lump sums of money can shift people’s self-perspective and societal views. Still, some rare individuals avoid giving in to negativity and use their money for good. One couple decided to save stray and hurt dogs with a dog rescue! The duo adores caring for the puppies and continues to rescue dogs.
10. You Remember Me, Don’t You?
One forum member recalls, “I had a patient, a hairdresser who owned her shop and won about six million. Her winnings were announced in the local newspaper. She consulted the right professionals, worked a plan to sell her salon, and mapped a way to retire on her winnings without a change in her lifestyle. But she told me that she had old boyfriends, and even guys that barely knew her in high school, who called her with some variation of, ‘You know I always loved you.’ She just laughed and blew them off.”
Source:Â Reddit.
This article was initially published and syndicated by The Cents of Money.
