What would you do if you won the 1.8B lotto?

The title is the premise, but let's get a little more detail on what winning means.

You'd have two options if you won.

1. If you want the full $1.8 billion you would have to take it as an annuity payment and then annual premiums over the next 29 years, increasing by 5% each year.
   • This is the only way to get the full amount, BUT there is catch. If you died before the full amount is paid, you don't get to leave it as an inheritance. It reverts back to the states that sold tickets in proportion to the number of tickets they sold, and each state has their own policies for spending it.
   • If you're younger this may be the best option because of the total payout. If you're older or otherwise feel you may not have another 30 years in the tank, then option 2 might be for you.
2. You would have the option to take a lump sum payout, but it would be at a lower total amount. Articles I've found estimate the lump some for the current drawing (9/6/25) would be roughly $826.4 million.
   • This lump some gives you access to more of the winnings much faster, but that puts you at risk of being able to overspend and continue the trend of lottery winners going broke.
   • With it all in hand even your untimely demise won't cause the funds to revert back to the states, so definitely update that will after the windfall!

Regardless of the option you choose, you'll be on the hook for taxes. The article I used for reference (linked below) states that a lotto winner will owe at least 24% of the winnings in federal income taxes. That's $198.3 million dollars right off the top, then it would also put you into the federal income bracket of 37% as well. After that comes whatever state taxes you would be liable for.

Source: https://nypost.com/2025/09/05/us-ne...l-owe-in-taxes-after-the-1-8-billion-jackpot/

To help visualize just the federal tax situation I took this screenshot, but I have linked the source below and it also shows the state taxes as well.



https://www.usamega.com/powerball/jackpot





So, with all that info and the link for your state's payout after taxes, what would you do if you won?

 

I'll go first so nobody has to feel shy.


I'm in Wyoming, and there is no state tax on lottery winnings. My options would be as shown below. Lump sum is up top and the annuity payment schedule is still just an estimate because we don't know what taxes will do over the next 30 years, but it gives an idea.






As with all my earnings, I would want to pay tithe on the gross amount. The trouble there is that my church is opposed to gambling in all forms, and doesn't knowingly accept tithe from gambling winnings. Reading up on this, I will likely sit out the lottery, but it's still fun to imagine what I would do if I were to have such a financial windfall.


So, if I were to play and win:
Running the math of lump sum vs the annuity, it would take 19 payments to equal/slightly exceed the amount of the lump sum payout. That's stable income for a good long time, but I'm 41 years old. Given my family history and my general health, it's really an equal shot as to whether or not I'd live long enough to hit that mark.


I'd take the $520.6 million dollar lump sum, because I feel I could restrain myself from spending it all. Then I'd follow the steps listed below:

1. Even though I could not pay tithe I would dedicate at least 10% to charitable works and aid. That'd be $180M out of the lump sum, leaving $340.6M.
2. I'd put $1M into landscaping my property and building a home with a nice garage and a shop. It be going for a modest 2-3 bedroom 2 bath home with a dedicated den/office space that would double as a gun room. There would be a serious focus on security and structural integrity, and sustainability in crappy scenarios. I want a little fortress. If in budget I would expand my property a little, get some simple leveling/sloping done, and a wall around the lot. For ease of numbers that leaves me with $339M.
3. I'd allocate $4M to family debt elimination and housing assistance. It should be far less than this amount, but it's an easy sum to chop off the total. $335M left.
4. Frivolous spending would have a $2M budget. $333M left.
   • This would be to acquire a 2021 2.5 gen Tundra with as few miles as possible, and lightly kit it out as a daily driver and camping vehicle. I'd bring the interior up to par with the "luxury" of my current truck, add a transmission cooler, upgrade the suspension to make it ride nice without jacking it up in the air, repaint it in whatever color I settled on, PPF the whole truck, tint all the windows.
   • Get a nice road trip vehicle, possibly a Sequoia of the current gen? Something cushy with room for a couple buddies.
   • Firearms for the office/gun room. Ammo.
   • Zero turn mower for the newly done up yard.
   • Furniture, appliances, and wall hangings for the house.
   • Tools and a lift for the shop.
   • Another small motorcycle for around town, but I'd keep my current bike for the interstate trips.
   • A Trailmarker Travel Trailer or have something like it built.
   • A cruise to Japan with a long stay to enjoy and explore.
5. Friend spending would have a $3M budget. I don't have a lot of friends but I have some very dear ones who would get he same kind of treatment as family. Debt elimination and housing assistance.
6. The remaining $330M would go into savings, CDs, and the like to generate interest to cover living expenses. Even with a 1% return that would still provide $3.3M in annual income, less taxes of course.
7. With that income I would probably try to start or aid in some kind of Pug rescue and breeding education. I would definitely get a dog again.

It's nice to dream of financial independence.

 

Is the payout total protected in an escrow account? Is there a possibility the lottery fund becomes insolvent?

 

Lump sum. I highly doubt I will live 29 more years. Plus, if invested correctly, you could live well and still turn it into 2 billion before 29 years is up.

 

Take the cash.. pay off all my parents bills, buy them both new vehicles, help my mom build out her dog rescue, then buy myself a LUXE or Brinkley 5th wheel, a F450 Plat, chase the warm weather, go north in the summer and south in the winter, go on BizBuySell and find some business for sale, buy them for the cash flow, then hire people and pay them atleast $100k a year to operate the business for me. I'd probably start buying land also.

Not that I've thought about it though...

 

First, if I won, I would have to change my pants. 2nd, I would take the lump sum payout since I am 74 years old and don't know any people 103 years old. 3rd, buy some property on the North Platte River in Wyoming to have a home for fly fishing excursions for my close friends and myself. 4th, take care of my older brother and sister. And, 5th, buy some guard dogs to protect me from relatives who have not given me the time of day, but who would absolutely get new-found love for me.

 

Everyone is taking the lump sum. Not even a question

 

Lump sum. Invest it in an index fund. Live off 4% of returns.

Assume $520m after taxes that would give me nearly $21m per year to live on assuming a draw on 4% of $520m while the principle continues to grow.

I'd spend June - Nov in Alaska and the winter dividing my time between crashing on @ToyoMafia 's couch, fixing @TaquitoBandito 's house and hassling @War Machine for that paternity test.

 

The first thing ANYONE should do is read that famous Reddit post from a professional accountant specifically about what to do step by step if you win a large lottery jackpot…. ALWAYS take the lump sum, it’ll grow more in the bank with no investments that what would be the payout over years.

but the first thing I would do is buy my mom and I a really nice house, and her a new car. Pay off any potiential debts she might have (she doesn’t share if she has debt with me because she doesn’t want me to have to worry but I know she probably does have a few things that would need to be paid off)

I would probably still drive the sequoia just because the memories and all it’s done for me over the years, but I can’t say I wouldn’t buy a Mercedes or Tesla.

Would definitely be buying a nice cabin in aspen to go skiing and vacation during December every year.

Would open up my own on Starbucks in this specific location in my city I just know it would do great in.

Would definitely pay off college, and finish it stress free, with not having to worry about XYZ issues during the years.

Definitely still getting a job in my field, even though the money doesn’t matter, I just like having purpose and a schedule.

would take a vacation with my mom and just enjoy life with her while she’s still here. (Enjoy your parents, lost my dad at a too young age)

the other stuff I would do with the money would be some boring stuff that wouldn’t be worth posting.

 

The lose it if you don’t live is what push people to get the lump. While reading, I did like the annuity idea because it’s constant money coming yearly but if you know how to invest it’s a no brainer.

 

"What lottery are you talking about?" ......... "Oh wow, I never even knew about that one!" "Damn dude sure got lucky AF!"

 

good to know your priorities are straight, gang

 

Lump sum. Fund kids college account. Sell house. Buy a 5k acre high fence ranch in central Texas. Buy my dream cars (1971 chevelle ss 454 and Ferrari 360 spider). Put a quarter of the remaining in the bank and the rest in the market. Then just live off the interest alone. Set up trusts for my kids and grand kids. Spend my days hunting and riding around and traveling. Probably pick up a small job here and there to keep me entertained cause I’ll get bored.

Simple life.

 

I keep it simple. I have all I need, blessings and God's will. If I won the 1.8B will probably donate it all, won't change a thing in my life and in what I have right now. And that is the reason I don't play it I'm happy, I am blessed. Things happen for a reason.

 

Lump sum. Even at a paltry $400m, I could expect $20+m annual gross investment returns. Good enough.

Education trust for each of my 3 young grandchildren , and a trust in kind for my two adult grandchildren and my two adult children.

Trusts for my niece and her children.

I would have my current house torn down and a new house built on the property along the same thinking as @GODZILLA mentioned above.

I am not sure what our church thinks of lotto winnings, but after I had the funds invested properly in a relatively conservative interest/ dividend scheme making 5.5 to 6 percent annually, my church would have a generous but anonymous benefactor.

I would buy a nice place to stay in while the aforementioned house build is completed, and the give that home to my daughter and son in law.

My Mom and sister would be provided for on my terms ( long story) and we would go from there.

I don't intend to do mowing etc, that will be paid for instead of me doing it, but I would still do hobbyist projects, including light auto maint just because.

Then I would wake up, check my tickets, and go cash them for the 4 dollars I actually won.

I read an interesting story that said you should never do quick picks, but rather always play your own numbers.

Doing so would not improve your odds of winning, but would reduce your odds of sharing the prize based on what was reported as a flawed randomizing algorithm.

Hmmm.

 

You win the lottery I’ll waive the paternity test.

 

Amen to tithing.

 

Amen , and Amen

 

Looks like two people won. One from Missouri and one from Texas. Congrats to Yall

 

Thanks! Can’t wait to start ranch shopping!

 

In the past or future, lump sum, verify funds transfer, satisfy ALL debt, then retire if the amount warrants.

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oregon-man-won-cash-life-130000253.html

 

I know I’d have paid someone to fix this problem.

 

Well, since I live very near the brand new Valero gas station that sold one of the two winning tickets, my daughter just texted me saying, "My best friend Michelle hopes you remember her fondly."

I assume the ticket was purchased by some big-city tourist on his way home from the little tourist town of Fredericksburg, TX. And as my daughter also stated, probably after sampling our Hill Country wine. Actually, the station where the ticket was purchased is right across the highway from the Fat Ass winery.

 

https://nypost.com/2025/09/07/us-ne...on-powerball-winners-will-actually-take-home/

 

We won $8.

 

Depending on there you live its as much as 47% tax.

Id chat with a lawyer like this guy and claim it anon. Taking the lump sum. Retire the day the check hits the bank.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O08UFlop4xA

 

That's almost 2 hours long.....