make that 8 :(

If I won, I would be terrified. I would worry for my kids being kidnapped or something on these lines.
The kidnappers dont necessarily know that I will get only cca 50k/year. When they learn it they might kill the kidnappees.

I've never thought of the downside of winning a lottery or something. I've never even bought a ticket, so I guess this sort of thing has never been of concern to me.

IF I did for some reason buy a ticket and win, I'd also be terrified. The last thing I'd want is distant relatives/friends asking for handouts (the close ones are nice and know better!). I'd become a hermit, I think.

In Quebec, we had this famous family :



7 millions, fame, drug, judicial sagas, suicide, etc...

I think getting a pile-o-cash can be a curse. I have many times of people going nutso and buying and investing in crap. Never will understand why people don't take the ca$h and put it in a money market or some stable, conservative investment fund and live off the interest. Even if you won several million. Sure...blow half, invest the rest.

That's why you should always hire a financial adviser.

people are stupid.

i'm tired of hearing sob stories about stupidity.

how about the lotto winners who did it right? where are their stories?

They're probably gleefully staying out of the spotlight.

I'm surprised Jack Whittaker wasn't mentioned. I remember the search for his granddaughter; she used to come into Hot Topic when I worked there and drop loads of money.

Lottery winner or not, unless you learn how to properly manage your money, you'll always be poor.

My favorite lottery winner is Curtis Sharp. If memory serves me right he was the first NY $5 million winner.

His wife and girlfriend were with him at the podium at the check presentation. He bought each of them a house and spent all the money.

He had a blast!