If you win the Lottery, it is tempting to cash in as soon as possible, but there are several things you should do before you do. You should first make a photo of your ticket stub and store it in a safe place. Then, you should begin assembling your financial dream team. Depending on your needs, you may need an estate-planning lawyer, certified public accountant, private banker, insurance specialist, and investment adviser.

In the past decade, governments and legislatures have turned to lotteries to increase their revenue. The recession created an atmosphere of uncertainty and anxiety among working-class citizens. Throughout this period, many middle-class and poor people were looking for ways to feel secure. While the lottery is a fun way to win big money, it is also a serious drain on income. Many people in the lottery are poor or belong to low-income groups.

A recent lottery winner won a $426 million prize in 2022. A similar lottery jackpot was won in 2012 by a 49-person office pool at SEPTA. In the same year, a 7-person office pool at New York State’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal shared a $319 million Mega Millions jackpot. A year later, a Mountaineer 26 lottery pool won a million-dollar jackpot. In July 2018, eleven coworkers purchased a last-minute Mega Millions ticket and won a total of $543 million.

In January of 2021, a group of people in Maryland, calling themselves the “Power Pack,” won the $731.1 million Powerball jackpot. They bought their tickets in Coney Market in Lonaconing, Maryland, on Jan. 20. In the same year, a group of four members from the suburb of Detroit claimed the $105 billion Mega Millions jackpot in Michigan. After taxes, they would have received $557 million.