Mega Mistakes You Shouldn't Make If You Win The Lottery

May the odds be ever in your favor.  But don't count on it! 

For Mega Millions, the odds are 1 in 302.6 million. For Powerball, it's 1 in 292 million.  And if you think you've got a shot at winning both.... well, that's at least 1 in 88 quadrillion (that's 15 zeros, btw).

But you say there's a chance....

IF you do win a huge lottery jackpot, there are some things you SHOULD NOT DO:

1.  Don't forget to sign the back of the ticket.  It protects you in case someone steals it.  So you should sign it immediately.  Or if you really want to be careful, sign it now.

2.  Don't tell anyone.  People will come out of the woodwork looking for handouts.  But an even bigger concern is who THEY'LL tell.  We've seen horror stories before about people hitting the lottery, then having their house broken into, or even being killed.

3.  Don't automatically take the lump sum.  As long as you're smart with the money, it makes sense because you can use it to make even MORE money.  But the problem is most people AREN'T smart about it.  Roughly 70% of people who get a huge windfall of cash lose it or spend it all within a few years. 

4.  Don't start backing all your friends and family's business ideas.  And don't start buying people cars and houses.  It's amazing how fast you can burn through cash.  Even when you've got millions...

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

(Photo credit: Getty Images)


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