This is the line that always blows my mind when this comes up: >Whittaker's car was twice broken into, by trusted acquaintances who watched him leave large amo

This is the line that always blows my mind when this comes up: >Whittaker's car was twice broken into, by trusted acquaintances who watched him leave large amounts of cash in it. $500,000 and $200,000 were stolen in two separate instances. The more I read lottery winning stories, the more it becomes clear that you need to move (pref to another country) and change your name on the social level. As for the handouts and beggers, it seems like it'd be better to incinerate all of the mail and make several anonymous donations to hospitals and programs (e.g. Make a Wish) in smaller amounts ($50k - $100k.) It also seems prudent to have a few financial managers who are basically quarantined and unaware of the total sum of your net worth. While it would be tempting to give money to family and friends, I don't think you can go down this route with friends. I think helping family out by paying off their mortgage is fine, but I believe that most financial exchanges between friends spoils the relationship. This also applies for treating people to fancy dinners and stuff. I think you'd have to suck it up and split cheques like the pre-lotto days. Anyway, thinking about this is a fun mental exercise, but I don't doubt that I'd wind up with a knife in my spine, found days later on my personal yacht (not the one I entertain on.)