The year 2016 started with the biggest Powerball prize jackpot in history: $1.5 billion. The previous Powerball prize was a prize of $900 million, but no winner. Interestingly enough, over 500 million lottery tickets, priced at $2 each, were sold within four days when the jackpot amount was. It's incredible how we as human beings will do anything to win such a large prize. Of course, if you're the grand prize winner, you may want to pay off debts, pay off college loans, buy a new car or house, and travel around the world. $1.5 billion dollars is a great amount of money. Would you spend it all on yourself, though?
The smart thing to do with that type of money is to not spend it all at once and not to spend it all on yourself. What would be valuable to do is put that money to good use. Obviously, after clearing out all your personal needs, you should keep in mind no one likes a greedy billionaire.
A good way to use the remaining money is to donate it—donate to a charity of your choice or create your own scholarship opportunity for someone in need of an education. Do a great deed with that amount of money. The millions of dollars spent on lottery tickets could have been put to good use if directed towards education, poverty and cancer research. Instead, we all used it on a piece of paper to get lucky. There is nothing wrong with spending $2 on a lottery ticket for entertainment, but is it necessary to buy more than two tickets? The money that could've been put to good use now belongs to a lottery company that will use your money for someone's pleasure in a prize. Would you be willing enough to give away the money or keep it all for yourself for selfish reasons?
The winners of the Powerball will hopefully keep in mind a great cause to donate to. As we all know, money can get us many luxuries, but at the end of the day, it does not guarantee us true happiness.