Once you have won a big prize from the lottery, you might think that all the serious effort is performed. On the flip side, you'd be quite wrong! There are several documented cases of folks who've 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, pop over here are some tips to help.

Get a lawyer or financial planner

Before going public with your lottery winnings, it's a great idea to speak to a lawyer as well as a financial planer. Certain lawyers focus on lottery winners and how to best begin a wise life that will make the most of their winnings. Keep in mind, the ultra-rich (millionaires and billionaires) got that way by being wise with their money. They've had their wealth for an extended time. You, then again, as a whole new lottery winner, are thrust in to the role of ultra-wealthy, without having the years of expertise that others may have had. This is why a lawyer can give great advice and be a good help when you begin your new life.

A financial planner is additionally a vital person to speak to. Also 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, as opposed to spending it foolishly, you will truly be a lottery success story.

Focus on your dreams

Winning the lottery is one area 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 is now your chance to be a world traveler. Or maybe you've always regretted that you were not able to go to college. You now have the option to get that degree! Making a list of all of your hopes and dreams may help you to find the most effective path to achieve them.

In addition, 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. The majority of people don't 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.

Learn to say "No"

Whenever you make a big win at the lottery, you will hear from friends you haven't spoken to in years. You will hear from cousins that you never knew existed. You may even hear from complete strangers! How did everybody find you all of a sudden?

Most state lotteries make their winners public. It's in their terms of service that winners has to be ready to go public. This is accomplished for a number of reasons. For one thing, it's really a great promotional device and it generates interest in the lottery. Additionally, it proves that the lottery is a fair draw and that there's 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 that can be coming to you. Should you have a hard time doing this, then you will be conveniently taken advantage of, and pretty soon you can find your fortunes dwindling.

One alternative for 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 means that a big winner can still remain relatively anonymous. If you have always dreamed of having everything, but you want to still live the life of a regular Joe, you might want to try your hand at online lotteries.

Give some back to charity

Despite the fact that you will have to say "no" to a great deal of greedy people trying to make use of you, you may see that you are enthusiastic about 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 can 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 lot more free time to share and may find that you enjoy volunteering tour time).

Should you decide to give to charity, do your research first. You definitely will need to find out what your interests are and just how you would like to see your money spent, so make a list about which charities interest you. You may even research your favorite charities to find out where they spend their money, how much of each gift they receive is used for charity, as well as other facts. These facts should help you decide on several worthy charities.