Lottery Win!

No, we didn't win the $32,000,000 that is the current balance on Lotto 649. But we did win twice in the last 2 weeks. First, a free ticket last week. Then a win of $10 for having 3 numbers this week. The other numbers were so close to ours, it was scary. A bit of relief we didn't win big! What would we do then?

This lottery is the only one we've ever played, starting in the early 80's when we were first married. At that time, it was one draw a week for $1. In our budget and as a young married couple with a mortgage, fun to invest, knowing our chances were slim but our only vice, so we never looked back. Over the years, we've won continually, small  and larger amounts but not the jackpot. Now the draw is twice a week and it's no longer $1 per draw but for us now, still affordable and the only thing we buy that has no purpose, other than taking a chance to win.

With our 6 numbers firm in our head, we never miss a draw. Can't imagine if we ever forgot and then our numbers were drawn. What an awful feeling that would be! We are frugal, counting every penny and making careful purchases. Our only debt tiny is small, just a bit left on our mortgage and nothing else. But we still dream about winning more than the bits and bobs we've won to date. 

It would be so much fun to give money to the 2 charities I work for and hiring staff to fill up my team. It would so much fun to give each of our kids money to buy new homes so they are set for life and set up trust funds for our grand babies. It would be so much fun to fly everyone to a tropical location in January when the weather here is bitterly cold and the sunshine is in short supply for months. It would be so much fun to pay for our daughter's university tuition in full so she would have no debt at grad. It would be so much fun to pay off my friend's mortgage, so she wouldn't have to worry about making the payment each month. 

All of this would be fun but we do know there is a downside to winning money. Hopefully, our friends, family members and ourselves are sensible enough to remember, if it ever happened, that its' just money and we would still be us. 

With no one winning the lottery last night, it now stands at $40,000,000. Too large in my opinion, so hopefully, multiple winners will be lucky. 

Do you play the lottery? 

What would you do if you did win?