ATLANTA — Stories of life after winning the lottery are numerous and often pretty awful, so Mark Cuban -- the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC’s Shark Tank – is sharing some solid advice in advance to winners of big lottery jackpots.
Here's what Cuban told the people at the Dallas Morning News about how to react to winning the lottery:
- Hire a tax attorney first.
- Don't take the lump sum. You don't want to blow it all in one spot.
- If you weren't happy yesterday, you won't be happy tomorrow. It's money. It's not happiness.
- If you were happy yesterday, you are going to be a lot happier tomorrow. It's money. Life gets easier when you don't have to worry about the bills.
- Tell all your friends and relatives no. They will ask. Tell them no. If you are close to them, you already know who needs help and what they need. Feel free to help some, but talk to your accountant before you do anything. Remember this: no one needs $1 million for anything. No one needs $100,000 for anything. Anyone who asks is not your friend.
- You don't become a smart investor when you win the lottery. Don't make investments. You can put it in the bank and live comfortably forever. You will sleep a lot better knowing you won't lose money.
WATCH the live Mega Millions drawing Tuesday night at 11 p.m. LIVE on WSB-TV right before the Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat.
Cox Media Group
