Once you have won a big prize from the lottery, you could assume that all of the hard-work is done. On the other hand, you'd 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, as well as other unfortunate events. So if you want to be a lottery success story, and avoid the famous "lottery agent curse" that appears to always make it to the front page of newspapers, here are some tips to help.

Before going public with your lottery winnings, it's really 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 can make the most of their winnings. As always, the ultra-rich (millionaires and billionaires) got that way by being wise with their money. They have had their wealth for quite a while. You, on the other hand, as a whole new lottery winner, are thrust into the role of ultra-wealthy, without needing the years of experience 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 also an essential person to speak to. They can 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, rather than spending it foolishly, you will truly be a lottery success story.

Winning the lottery is a thing that most of us dream of doing. So now that you've won, what do you want to do with your winnings? Maybe you've always wanted to travel. This really is now your opportunity to become a world traveler. Or even you've always regretted that you were not able to go to college. You have the option to get that degree! Making a number of all your hopes and dreams will help you to locate the very best path to achieve them.

On top of that, think beyond just things to buy. Sure a brand 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 possess 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 within their terms of service that winners has to be prepared to go public. They do this for a range of reasons. For one thing, it's really a great promotional device and it generates interest in 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 to say "no" to the many requests which will be coming to you. If you have a hard time doing this, then you will be conveniently taken benefit from, 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've 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 are going to have to say "no" to a great deal of greedy people trying to make use of you, you might discover that you are interested in giving back to charity. Many millionaires and billionaires have done great things with their donations, whether or not it be to hospitals, colleges, or any other non-profit organizations. You can even donate your time! Even though it sounds crazy, many millionaires and lottery winners do it. (If you don't 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 period to share and may see that you enjoy volunteering tour time).

If you do opt to give to charity, do your investigation first. You are going to need to discover what your interests are and just how you'd like to see your hard earned 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 utilized for charity, and other facts. This information should help you decide on a number of worthy charities.