Online Lottery Tickets

Smart Lottery Lessons

1

 Protect Your Privacy, Control Your Story

 Jim and Lisa Robinson Controlled Their Story by Going on TV. Image (c) Business Wire

While you are mulling over your options, it's important (though excruciatingly hard!) to keep mum about your big win. Although it's tempting to shout your news to the world, as soon as people hear that you're about to become a multi-millionaire, you'll become a target.

In order to be able to get your ducks in a row before becoming the focus of the world's attention, don't tell anyone outside of an extremely small circle of trusted friends, relatives, and advisers about your Powerball jackpot win.

For example Maureen Smith and her husband David Kaltschmidt kept going to work as usual after finding out that they were going to be fabulously rich soon, and didn't even tell their adult children that they had won the Powerball jackpot.

In addition, start thinking ahead about the image that you are going to project when reporters and other interested parties start looking into your life. Experts suggest that you scrub your social media accounts, or delete them altogether.

Also think about how you want to be contacted, because a lot of people are likely to be reaching out to you. Maureen Smith, for example, set up a contact at her law firm to respond to all inquiries and requests.

Don't forget that not only are Powerball winners going to be in the limelight whether they like it or not, but so are the people they talk about publicly, so it's a good idea to be careful about what you say.

During their press conference after claiming her Powerball win, Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt refused to answer several personal questions like what personal meaning the numbers they played had to them and details about their children.

Meanwhile, Marvin and Mae Acosta were so careful of their privacy that they moved out of their home the day before claiming their prize and refused to speak with the press at all.

Being respectful of the privacy of your children, your family, and your friends will shield them from unwanted attention.

2

 Don't Make Major Changes in Your Life

 Powerball Winners Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt Planned Only Minor Life Changes. Image (c) Florida Play online lottery.

If someone were to ask you what you would do once you became a Powerball winner, you might say something like, "quit my job!" or "sell my house and get a more luxurious one." But the experts suggest that you don't make any big moves immediately.

While winning a few hundred million dollars might make you feel like you haven't a care in the world, the reality is different (as these lottery curse victims could tell you).

There are a few good reasons not to make a major change immediately. For one thing, people need structure in their lives, and quitting your job and totally changing what you do with your life isn't really that good for most people.

That might be why John and Lisa Robinson both planned to keep their jobs, despite their $327.8 million windfall. John said, "You can’t sit down and lay down and not do nothing anymore. Because how long are you going to last?"

David Kaltschmidt said that he would be retiring from his job at Northrup Grummond, but that was already in the works. "We are not going to go party. We are still going to live the same lives," he said. The big purchase he was planning first was simply replacing his broken-down truck.

Powerball winners should also work with their advisers to set a budget that ensures that their funds last. It's surprising how fast hundreds of millions of dollars can disappear if your money habits aren't sound. It's a good idea to use your Play lottery online winnings as your "seed corn" and spend only the interest you get on your investments.

3

 Be Prepared for Emotional Turmoil

 The Attention that Comes with a Powerball Win Can Be Overwhelming. Andrew Hobbs / Getty Images

It's natural to think that Powerball winners feel nothing but excitement and joy after winning a few hundred million dollars. But the truth is that winning a huge sum of money has a lot of consequences, and not all of them are pleasant.

Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt said that they were dreading the press conference and attendant publicity. David said that he had lost 10 pounds in the month since they had found out that they were winners, whereas Maureen said that "she was no longer in a quiet place" and that she was "afraid it will make me less friendly because of all the worrying."

Meanwhile, John and Lisa Robinson said that they had been sleepless after realizing they were winners. "More stress comes with that ticket," Lisa said.

After claiming their prize, things continued to be difficult for the Robinsons. They were the target of a frivolous lawsuit by a felon who has sued thousands of people in the hopes of getting a share of their cash and their names were used in a wide-spread Facebook pfishing scam.

On top of all of that, Powerball winners have to worry about people befriending them just for their money, being hounded by charities and people with sob stories, the responsibility that comes with that much money, and more.

4

 Quick Pick or Choose Your Own? How Powerball Winners Pick Numbers.

 How Do Powerball Winners Buy Their Tickets?. Corbis via Getty Images / Getty Images

Many lottery players want to know whether they should pick their own numbers or use quick pick to have a computer randomly choose their numbers.

Technically, the odds of winning should be equal regardless of which method you choose (although a lot of people rely on birth dates, so the chances of having to share a jackpot if you choose those numbers are higher).

The three winners of the 2016 Powerball jackpot bear that out. Two of the winners used the quick pick method, while the third, Maureen Smith, played the same numbers that she's been playing for about 30 years.

So there's no clear answer here, neither way has a much better chance of winning the lottery. Pick whichever method is more fun for you.