It is fantastic to win the lottery, enjoy the newfound riches, and be set for life. However, experience has shown that this is rarely the case. Many who have won the lottery and become millionaires overnight became overwhelmed with their newfound fortune and quickly squandered it.
However, there are lottery winners who have been very smart with their winnings, making smart investments, and are still rich. We don’t know the names of many jackpot lottery winners, as lotteries provide the option to keep the winners anonymous. Still, many have shared their luck with the world and have publicly accepted their prizes. Today we’ll discuss the status of some of the most notable lottery millionaires who are still rich.
In 2005, avid lottery player Brad Duke was 33 years old when he devised his plan of “winning” the lottery. He gathered the past six months’ worth of Powerball results and determined the 15 most often drawn numbers. By using a wheeling system, he combined them; fortunately, his efforts paid off, and he won a staggering $220.3 million jackpot.
After taxes, he received $86 million in cash. Post-mandatory vacations, trips, and updating hobbies, Brad set a goal to increase his funds to $1 billion within 15 years. Though he has not yet reached this ambitious target, he has doubled his net worth. He currently enjoys a comfortable life with smart investments in real estate, gas, oil, and low-risk bonds.
Peter Lavery, once a bus driver in Belfast earning £250 a week, hit the jackpot with a £10.2 million prize from the UK National Lottery. With careful planning and investment, including creating the Danny Boy whiskey brand with Cooley Whiskey Distillery and making numerous real estate investments, he now enjoys revenues from 30 properties across Northern Ireland.
Another couple, Lisa and John Robinson, won 1/3 of the largest Powerball jackpot in history. Following Lisa’s intuition to buy tickets on an ordinary trip to the local food mart, they became multimillionaires and wisely bought a 10-bedroom house. They’re known for their relatively low profile, apart from their initial burst of media appearances.
Lerynne West, who bought her winning US Powerball ticket on moving day to her first home, became one of two winners of a $687.8 million prize. Her share was $138.67 million after taxes, which she has used to start a charitable foundation and for family support, maintaining a low-profile life and engaging in philanthropy.
Florida’s Jason Fry went from saving for a dream to winning a $47 million jackpot with $14 million in prize money after taxes. His investments include a profitable golf course/driving range and a burgeoning battery business with multiple locations and expansion plans.
The Illinois State Lottery bestowed upon Yancy Hicks the possibility of entrepreneurship with his winnings. After claiming his million-dollar prize, he purchased his dream car, funded his daughter’s education, and started a Subway franchise, which now provides him a steady income and the freedom of being his own boss.
Cynthia Stafford, who won $112 million from the California Mega Millions and received a $45 million lump sum, initially pursued a savvy investment in a film production company. However, her financial trajectory took a downturn when she filed for bankruptcy in 2016.
Mark Brundell, after winning £917,000 from the UN National Lottery’s Lotto, invested the bulk of his fortunes into a double glazing business, while enjoying the perks of new cars and a new home with his wife, Cheryl.
When a tarot reading foresaw wealth in Sue Herdman’s future, she bought a lotto ticket that landed her £1.2 million. She used this to start a pig farm which now has 7,000 pigs and produces about 1,000 piglets every week, securing her a comfortable lifestyle.
Richard Lustig made headlines with his seven lottery wins totalling over $1 million before taxes and his self-promotion through a book on winning lottery strategies, although details of his subsequent investments remain less transparent.
Pearlie Mae Smith, a grandmother from New Jersey, won a $429 million US Powerball prize in 2016, taking a $281 million lump sum which she shared with her seven children. They focused on philanthropy, investing in their church and starting a foundation, continuing their mother’s legacy after her passing in 2022.
Paul and Sue Rosenau won $180.1 million on a poignant anniversary of family loss, dedicating a portion of the money to a foundation aimed at curing the disease that touched their lives. Their wise investments also included personal family experiences, such as trips to Hawaii and Disneyland.
Tom Crist, a retiree from Canada, demonstrated an extraordinary act of kindness by donating his entire $40 million Lotto Max winnings to charity, honoring his late wife’s battle with cancer. The Alberta Children’s Hospital benefited significantly from his generosity.
Lastly, Allen and Violet Large of Canada, already financially comfortable when they scooped up an $11.2 million Canada Lotto 6/49 jackpot, donated 98% to various charities and causes close to their hearts, an altruistic gesture carried out prior to Violet’s passing from cancer.
Mofijul Rahima Sheikh’s story reminds us of the far-reaching possibilities of a lucky break. His single day’s wages spent on a lottery ticket in Kerala rewarded him with $150,000, sufficient to uplift his family from poverty with a farm and a new house.
Canada’s Bob Erb, who won $25 million in the Lotto Max, is remembered for his compassionate donations to charity and spontaneous acts of kindness, like leaving substantial tips at restaurants. A firm supporter of marijuana legalization, we could speculate he enjoys his retirement in now-legalized contentment.
The tale of Neal Wanless serves as an embodiment of the American dream. The ranch hand from a modest background invested his $88.5 million lump sum wisely, upscaling his family ranch to live out his aspirations as a cowboy.
It’s clear there’s no single recipe for lottery success; some rely on strategies, others on software, while many trust instinct or sheer luck. The true secret, it seems, lies in the prudent management of a windfall, as demonstrated by the thrifty few who continue to prosper.
