[coeur_brise]

A single winning ticket was bought in Illinois for the 1 billion dollar jackpot:

One ticket in Illinois won the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot of nearly $1.34 billion

The chase for the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot has ended -- with a single ticket sold in the Chicago area for the whole $1.337 billion.

www.cnn.com

I'm pretty sure I would just live frugally because I don't know how to live expensively. Would also give money to family and friends depending on their needs and situation. I'd probably buy a new car and hire a personal cleaner. Maybe more ideas would come later on, though I've currently no desire to buy a yacht. I would splurge and buy the expensive healthcare. And think real hard about my career whether that's a career change or just working an easy job for the meantime.

 

[WillYouStopDave]

I can think of a few people I'd give some to. Probably some of them would be shocked since they either barely know me or don't even know I exist.

 

[CNikki]

Honestly I don’t even know. To me the lottery is just the government’s legal way of taking money from people, only then to have the winning number be taxed a good chunk of it back to them (probably half or more) before cashing out. Sure, it’d still be a lot of money. But the government will surely find more ways to take it from you because of the income bracket you’d skyrocket into and then not know how to effectively keep yourself up if you never managed a lot of money in your life before. Many winners go broke after a while for a reason.

 

[coeur_brise]

Honestly I don’t even know. To me the lottery is just the government’s legal way of taking money from people, only then to have the winning number be taxed a good chunk of it back to them (probably half or more) before cashing out. Sure, it’d still be a lot of money. But the government will surely find more ways to take it from you because of the income bracket you’d skyrocket into and then not know how to effectively keep yourself up if you never managed a lot of money in your life before. Many winners go broke after a while for a reason.

True, I never really thought of that. I think that's why I'd hire personal financial advisors because that amount of money would make my head roll. Not that a cash advisor is a bad thing to have even if you dont have millions of dollars. They say that the lotto is like gambling for the poor and I couldn't agree more. Still, it's the thought that's fun to entertain.

 

[Tetragammon]

Technically I'd never be able to win because I think gambling a stupid waste of money, so I would never buy a ticket. And I don't think that most people truly understand how much a "billion" really is -- like, that's 1,000 millions. And frankly I think it's disgusting and straight-up wrong for any one person to have that much money at once, especially when so many people are just struggling to make ends meet. I would feel bad having that much.

But hypothetically speaking... I'm really not a "big spender" -- never have been, never will/would be, even if I had a billion. So I'd bank/invest a large chunk, like 100 million, to guarantee that I could achieve my main goal in life of never having to work again. Then I'd give several millions, at least, to a few genuinely good people I've met over the years, like my "black sheep" of an uncle who has helped my mom and I so much since my dad's death without ever asking for anything in return. I'd certainly pay for all the fixes and upgrades that our house badly needs. And maybe go on a trip to China with my mom since she's always wanted to go. Since I don't plan on having any "heirs," I'd set up a trust to give chunks away to charities and causes that I care about following my death, like the Freedom from Religion Foundation and the American Humanist Association, and probably set up some scholarships for promising students to be able to get their degrees debt-free.

I think it's pretty awful that most people would go out and throw most of it away on mansions or luxury cars, boats, personal jets, etc. People nowadays really don't know how to manage their money at all, and that makes me sad for the human race as a whole. I even consider myself exceptionally selfish, yet there's no way I could just blow millions on useless crap like that. And there's no way I could just hoard it all, either. And I think that contentiousness is precisely why I'll never have that much money in the first place.

EDIT: It occurred to me that I forgot the second most important thing, after never having to work again: I would immediately move to another state, or maybe even another country. Somewhere relatively non-religious and liberal, in a small and isolated house -- nothing fancy. But getting out of this state would probably improve my mental health considerably.

 

[Blue Dino]

I will cash it out in in full, then hire a trusted financial advisor to invest the money. I will probably give it to some family and friends enough that they can live comfortably for the rest of their lives, while remaining convert that I won the jackpot to avoid greedy enstranged relatives or people to suddenly snuggle up to me. I will then probably just buy a house in various parts of the world for me to cycle around living place to place month by month. Places that I enjoy staying and relaxing. And likely cutting off most of the people from my life. And try be a permanent citizen in a country with universal healthcare, as I imagine if I stay in the U.S, the ever-increasing healthcare costs will like drain away a big chunk of even my lottery winnings after many years. Another big thing I will consider as for myself though is, even if I have all of this money, I am unsure if I would even have the health to enjoy my winnings in the long run.

As some often say, that the lottery in general is just tax scheme on the "stupid" to play into their greed. A scheme to prey on taxing on the poor, who are more likely to frequently play the lottery. The ones who are also more likely to not know to invest them and be more tempted to live excessively lavish, thus most of the jackpot winners being prone to going broke within a decade. Meanwhile the ones who will know to invest the money wisely, chances are they're more likely to know it's not financially feasible to play the lotto, at least consistently. I have always been surprised that a lottery is government-run for this reason without any backlash.

 

[JH1983]

Not working anymore would be the main thing. I'd also want to get fully checked out health wise and deal with anything that needed dealing with. There's a few people I'd help out with some money too.

Besides that just a bigger house with a much bigger yard that's further away from other people. I'd rather fully upgrade and customize the vehicles I already have than buy some new Lamborghini or something. I would want top tier electronics for gaming, TV, and music.

I wouldn't worry about running out of money. I'm too cheap and have spent too much of my life doing without to let that happen. One or two million would be enough for me, I can't even fathom hundreds of millions.

 

[harrison]

I wouldn't need a billion. Ten million would be plenty really. I was just thinking recently how a million dollars isn't all that much anymore - although it's still a lot of money to most people, including me - it doesn't buy much in way of real estate nowadays.

I'd buy a few properties - one in my wife's area. I think of that area as home. But that would be a million right there. Give some away and invest the rest. Also probably spend a large amount of time traveling of course.

If it was a billion I'd probably give at least half away because you just don't need that much.

 

[either/or]

I would give most of it away. The hardest part would be finding reputable charities or programs to give it all away to. It's so much money it wouldn't just be impossible to spend it all but also nearly impossible to give it all away responsibly.

I would of course keep a portion, and buy a house, car, etc. Basic stuff like that. I would tender my resignation with my evil corporate overlords stat and then keep enough to live comfortably through retirement. So I'm thinking I'd keep about $5 million? I think that would last me the rest of my life I guess. I don't think I'd even spend it all before I die but it would be good to have it in case I need it.

 

[CaptainRoommate]

Buy a bunch of land and a bunch of dogs, build my dream house, pay for my sister to make movies, and write books.

 

[Canadian Brotha]

I’d cover myself, a property in the city, a property on a small plot of land, put a specific amount into savings/investment that would allow me to live comfortably simply off the interest, I’d sort my brothers & mom out, & give a bunch to various charities & community initiatives

 

[zonebox]

I would purchase a new butt, my old one has a crack in it.

 

[Cletis]

They say the lottery is a tax on the stupid. I suppose it is except for that one person that wins. Everybody thinks they're going to be the one. I have been one of the "stupid" and played the lottery just a few times. I won $5 on a scratch off ticket once. That's it.

If I won that much the first thing I would do is figure out how much I'd owe in taxes and pay it. Get that out of the way first. Then, with what's left, I would invest it all and live off the earnings. Most would go into mutual funds. Some would go to real estate. I'd take care of my family and get them all squared away for life. I'd buy a new house. Get rid of the old clunker car I drive and get a new one but nothing fancy. I don't need or want an exotic sports car. Just something nice. No private jet or helicopter for me. No yacht. I'm happy living a simple life. I'd like to buy some land in the west. Preferably mountain land where I could hike and fish and camp.

Then find some good charities and donate to them. Probably cancer and heart disease. I have diabetes so diabetes research would be a priority for me. Give some to the local food banks and homeless shelters. Also give some to the local animal shelters since I love pets. Then set up a trust so that when I die my money would go to those charities. I won't have any heirs by then.

 

[Lonelygirl1986]

Buy a house, get a chauffeur, cook, maid, get together with another rich guy (so they aren't after money) buy expensive beauty products, there's probably more.

 

[Citrine79]

First and foremost….quit my job and not work ever again! I have never understood the people who win the lotto and say they will keep their job. I don’t much care for my job or employer and would jump at any opportunity to leave.

Also, I live in a miserable, unfriendly place. I’d leave it far behind and go somewhere far away that is better suited to me in many ways.

 

[Skeletra]

Pay down the mortgage
Renovate the basement
Buy a new car for me, my dad and for my brother
Buy my aunt a house or an apartment
Donate a large sum to various charities (local animal shelters, coffee farmers, kakapo sanctuary, something to help elephants.. depends how much I have left)

I don’t think I’d quit my job. I like having something to wake up to. I like the routine.

 

[Mandeline]

I would build myself a house far and away, get an helicopter and grow food so that I can survive in this world at a remote area with some solar panels and such, close to a water source. Ye,s that is a lot to ask for. lol

 

[Starcut83]

Hire a finance specialist.

 

[Fever Dream]

Maybe this...

Or this...

But probably this. 😈

 

[floyd the barber]

i'd donate a big part of it to different charities/causes i support, put a nice chunk back for me and my family so they and I won't ever have to worry about money. i'd spend my life with the money just seeing every band i love on tour, etc too. that's my perfect life.