Once you have won a big prize from the lottery, you may assume that all of the serious effort is done. Conversely, you would be quite wrong! There are plenty of documented cases of men and women who have hit it big only to lose their fortunes through bad deals, unhealthy living, selfish acts, as well as other unfortunate events. So if you want to be a lottery success story, and avoid the famous "lottery curse" that appears to always make it to the front page of newspapers, here are a few tips to help.

Before going public with your lottery winnings, it's a great idea to speak to a lawyer and a financial planer. Certain lawyers specialize in lottery winners as well as how to best begin a wise life that may make the most of their winnings. Simply, the ultra-rich (millionaires and billionaires) got that way by being wise with their cash. They've had their wealth for many years. You, conversely, as a brand new lottery winner, are thrust in to the role of ultra-wealthy, without needing the years of experience that others may have had. This is why an attorney can give great advice and be a good help as you begin your new life.

A financial planner can also be a vital person to talk to. They may help you make the decisions early on in your life to guarantee 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 one thing that most of us dream of doing. So now that you've won, what would you like to do with your winnings? Maybe you've always wanted to travel. This really is now your opportunity to be a world traveler. Or perhaps you've always regretted that you weren't able to go to college. You now have the opportunity to get that degree! Making a number of all your hopes and dreams may help you to discover the top path to achieve them.

Furthermore, think beyond just things to buy. Sure a new car or dream home will be nice, but think more about lifestyle changes rather than new toys. Most of the people 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 profession, if you wish it. Being happy means spending your time doing the things you love.

When 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 could even hear from complete strangers! How did everyone find you all of a sudden?

Most state lotteries make their winners public. It's within their terms of service that winners must be ready to go public. This is accomplished for a range of reasons. For one thing, it's a great promotional device and it generates interest within the lottery. Additionally, it proves that the trusted lottery dealer is a fair draw and that there's absolutely no cheating going on. The flip side of this is that having their names made public puts a target on many lottery winners' lives. As a new lottery winner, you shall have to learn to say "no" to the many requests that will be coming to you. Should you have a hard time doing this, then you will be conveniently taken advantage of, and pretty soon you will find your fortunes dwindling.

One alternative for all those who may 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 implies that a big winner can still remain relatively anonymous. If you have always dreamed of having everything, but you would like to still live the life of a regular Joe, then you definitely may want to try your hand at online lotteries.

Even though you'll have to say "no" to a great deal of greedy people trying to make use of you, you may discover that you are considering giving back to charity. Many millionaires and billionaires have done great things with their donations, whether it be to hospitals, colleges, or other non-profit organizations. You may 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 anymore, or only work part-time as a result of winning the lottery, you might have a whole lot more free time to share and may see that you enjoy volunteering tour time).

In the event you do choose to give to charity, do your research first. You certainly will need to find out what your interests are and the way you want to see your hard earned money spent, so make a list about which charities interest you. You may even research your favorite charities to view where they spend their money, how much of each gift they receive is utilized for charity, and other facts. These details should help you decide on a couple of worthy charities.