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Published October 17, 2018
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You're not going to win the lottery.
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But it's OK to dream about what you would do with all that money. Private island, maybe?
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Choose carefully, because unscrupulous spending is a common plague among the tout nouveau riche. If you do win a big chunk of cash, you can probably afford to hire someone smart to make decisions for you.
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Until then, you can just read about these cautionary tales for free.
Brace yourself for the roller coaster love story of Marie Holmes and her fiancé/partner Lamar "Hot Sauce" McDow. The Shallote, North Carolina, woman won about $88 million in February 2015.
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She has spent more than $20 million of it bailing her dear Hot Sauce out of jail.
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If you dream about winning big and then leaving your spouse, remember Denise Rossi (and consider counseling?).
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In 1996, Rossi hit it big, winning $1.3 million from the California Lottery. A few days later, she blindsided her husband by asking for a divorce. Oh, and she never mentioned the fact she was a newly-minted millionaire.
During divorce proceedings, her fortune was discovered. The court gave all of it to her husband! Well, ex-husband.
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Etta May Urquhart was happy when she won a $51 million California jackpot in 2012. But things got ugly when, as her accusations go, she and her son Ronnie Orender decided he should sign the winning ticket.
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A year later, Urquhart straight up sued her son, alleging he had swindled her out of her money. She also claimed elder abuse. The lawsuit eventually reached an undisclosed settlement.
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Yes, this can really happen. Meet Margit Arrobio.
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The Pasadena, California, woman (why is it always California?) bought a few Powerball tickets in 2013, when the jackpot was at a sensible $360 million. The next morning watching the news, she discovered she held a winning ticket. All of the numbers matched.
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It wasn't really a winning ticket. Arrobio had bought the tickets an hour after the Powerball cutoff time.
Those who ascribe to the Ricky Bobby school of thought -- "If you're not first, you're last" -- may be missing out on millions of sweet lotto dollars.
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Second place prizes for Powerball and MegaMillions drawings are worth at least $1 million, and CNN Business reports an estimated 114 of these million-dollar payouts went unclaimed in 2015.
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Listen, the lottery odds will never, ever sway even remotely in your favor, but at least make sure you're not missing out on free money!
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