Once you have won a big prize from the lottery, you might think that all of the hard-work is done. Conversely, you would be quite wrong! There are lots of documented cases of individuals who have hit it big only to lose their fortunes through bad deals, unhealthy living, selfish acts, and other unfortunate events. So if you want to be a lottery success story, and avoid the famous “lottery curse” that seems to always make it to the front page of newspapers, below are some tips to help.

Before going public with your lottery winnings, it is a great idea to talk to an attorney and a financial planer. Certain lawyers specialize in lottery winners as well as the way to best begin a wise life that may make the most of their winnings. As always, the ultra-rich (millionaires and billionaires) got that way by being wise with their cash. They have had their wealth for some time. You, having said that, as a new lottery winner, are thrust into the role of ultra-wealthy, without having the years of expertise that others may have had. This is why a lawyer can give great advice and be a good help as you begin your new life.

A financial planner is additionally a vital person to talk to. They can help you make the decisions early on in your life to make sure that you never have to work again. If you make wise investments with your lottery winnings, as opposed to spending it foolishly, you will truly be a lottery success story.

Winning the lottery is something that most of us dream of doing. So now that you’ve won, what would you like to do with your winnings? Maybe you have always wanted to travel. This really is now your chance to become a world traveler. Or maybe you’ve always regretted that you were not able to go to college. You now have the chance to get that degree! Making a list of all your hopes and dreams will help you to discover the very best path to achieve them.

In addition, think beyond just things to buy. Sure a whole new car or dream home will be nice, but think more about lifestyle changes rather than new toys. Most individuals do not love their jobs, but find it nice to have a hobby to take up time. Your hobby can now become your full time career, if you wish it. Being happy means spending your time doing the things you love.

Whenever you make a big win at the lottery, you will hear from friends you have not spoken to in years. You will hear from cousins that you never knew existed. You may even hear from complete strangers! How did everyone find you all of a sudden?

Most state lotteries make their winners public. It’s in their terms of service that winners must be willing to go public. This is accomplished for a number of reasons. For one thing, it is a great promotional device and it generates interest within the lottery. It also proves that the lottery is a fair draw and that there is absolutely no cheating going on. The flip side of this really is that having their names made public puts a target on many lottery winners’ lives. As a whole new lottery winner, you will have to learn how to say “no” to the many requests that may be coming to you. If you have a hard time doing this, then you will be easily taken benefit from, and pretty soon you can find your fortunes dwindling.

One alternative for anyone who might not be looking forward to a life of public scrutiny is to try their hand at online lotteries. The relative anonymity provided by winning online means that a big winner can still remain relatively anonymous. If you’ve always dreamed of having it all, but you want to still live the life of a regular Joe, you might want to try your hand at online lotteries.

Even though you definitely will have to say “no” to a great deal of greedy people trying to make use of you, you might see that you are excited about giving back to charity. Many millionaires and billionaires have done great things with their donations, whether it be to hospitals, colleges, or any other non-profit organizations. You can even donate your time! Despite the fact that it sounds crazy, many millionaires and lottery winners do it. (Should you not have a regular job any more, or only work part-time as a result of winning the lottery, you may have a lot more free time to share and may discover that you enjoy volunteering tour time).

In the event you do choose to give to charity, do your research first. You definitely will need to find out what your interests are and just how you’d like to see your money spent, so make a list about which charities interest you. You may even research your favorite charities to see where they spend their cash, just how much of each gift they receive is used for charity, and other facts. This information should help you decide on several worthy charities.