Winning the lottery is on pretty much everyone's bucket list. One North Carolina veteran gets to tick that one off after netting a healthy $150,000 lotto prize on the Powerball. I think we can all relate to his very human reaction.
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After winning a $50,000 Powerball, Donald Smiley went on to triple his winnings with a Power Play ticket, taking the total to $150,000. "I was so excited I didn't even know what to do, I definitely couldn't sleep," Donald told the North Carolina Educational Lottery. His mind must have been racing with all the possibilities that a healthy sum could open up.
The lotto ticket only set the veteran back $3, which equates to some crazy returns. The Power Play ticket he bought served to triple his winnings.
Sensible Spending for The Lotto Veteran
What they don't tell you about winning big on the lottery is that the government still comes in for its slice. After taxes, the $150,000 prize money was whittled down to $107,251, with the federal and state taking their winnings too. This is still no small amount, and can certainly go a long way to improving anyone's life.
Donald Smiley says that he will be paying off a lot of his bills with his newfound riches. That may not seem like the most extravagant blowout for the hundred K, but if that's what makes him happy, I'm all for it. Being able to sit pretty for a while, no longer stressing about paying bills, is a holiday in itself.
Once the veterans' lotto wins have cleared him of debts, I am sure he will find some more ways to enjoy himself. I doubt his night of lying awake was spent fantasizing about water and gas bills. There are some pretty extravagant holidays to be had with a winning of that size.
Hopefully, he invests it well, turning it into something he can retire on. There have been plenty of stories of people blowing much more than that on crazy things. With a few choice investments, this lotto-winning veteran could sit pretty for a number of years to come.
