Show Me The (Too Much?) Money!

The recent announcement about the UK's biggest lottery winner (just over £35m) put me in mind of a conversation I had about a year or so ago with some people about winning the lottery.

The story on everyone's lips at the time was the huge £100m+ jackpot in the Euromillions lottery. I even spent twenty quid on tickets for that one and I hardly ever play the lottery (but am in a pool at work).

Just about everyone involved in the conversation was saying that they would never want to win £100m - it's just too much money. They would be happy with one or two million, but that huge amount is just too much - they wouldn't know what to do with it.I think I shocked them all when I said I'd love to win £100m. They thought I was mad and even a bit greedy.

Well, I replied back and said I think them saying they would only want one or two million instead of one hundred million pounds was selfish. In part, if they didn't want to win that much money, why did they all buy tickets and reduce MY chances of winning the big prize?

Now putting aside all the arguments for and against national lotteries, the fact remains the potential for a huge life changing win, however small, is there for anyone who buys a ticket.

Now the reason I said I would love to win the £100m is simply because not only would it change my life for the better (and of course create other problems too), but I would be able to help so many other people with the money.

No one really needs £100m all to themselves to ensure they live a comfortable care free life. I know I don't. Ten million would do it for me, so that leaves 90 million for me to pay off family and friend's mortgages, pay for a fab first class holiday for everyone - Necker Island anyone?. Then there's all the charities you could help or maybe help fund scholarships for your old high school and univerisites.

There's just so much GOOD you could do with a huge pile of cash like that. Yes, I'll be honest and say I'd allow myself a million pounds from that 100 million and go mad. I mean, why the hell not? You only live once and money like that will never come around again, so enjoy it!

I've always wanted a huge house with a pool and cinema, bowling alley etc, and by gawd, I'd have it too...but with all those things, you can still only use them one at a time (well, maybe an underwater bowling alley!), so once the 'stuff' is out of the way, I'd go out and spread the wealth.

My job from that point would be ensuring the rest of the money is put to very good use to help others.

Once I explained all that to them they got the picture - mumbles of 'good idea' and 'oh, I never thought of it that way', and a 'jeez, that's too much work, just give me a few million and I'll be on my way'. Well, there's always one isn't there?

So the next time you or someone else thinks a lottery jackpot is just too much money to win, please think again....or I'm liable to give you a smack and take away your ticket.