How would you live if you hit a 100 mill lottery?

[CNM]

The only major life change would be I'd like to live in a nicer home, maybe one with a small guest house for guests and rental purposes.

Oh, also, my spouse and I would FIRE immediately.

[Jouer]

The only major life change would be I'd like to live in a nicer home, maybe one with a small guest house for guests and rental purposes.

Oh, also, my spouse and I would FIRE immediately.

A bunch of people have mentioned rental properties/purposes, which I find interesting. They are great for building stach but what's the appeal when you have $100mil? For me, the 'pain in the ass: ROI' ratio wouldn't be worth it. I mean, unless it's somewhere where you can turn the $100mil into $500mil, or what have you.

So legit question to those who mentioned this: why would you bother with something that would net so little relative to your net worth?

[Lmoot]

The only major life change would be I'd like to live in a nicer home, maybe one with a small guest house for guests and rental purposes.

Oh, also, my spouse and I would FIRE immediately.

A bunch of people have mentioned rental properties/purposes, which I find interesting. They are great for building stach but what's the appeal when you have $100mil? For me, the 'pain in the ass: ROI' ratio wouldn't be worth it. I mean, unless it's somewhere where you can turn the $100mil into $500mil, or what have you.

So legit question to those who mentioned this: why would you bother with something that would net so little relative to your net worth?

 I am into rental properties because I have always been obsessed with the idea fixing up old homes, and I like the neighborhood revitalization aspect of it. Also I would buy up land and build affordable, a.k.a. smaller homes, integrated with the natural landscape before mega developers can get it and make entire communities of big ass ugly houses and lawns, and cut down old growth trees to replace them with puny, spaced out ornamentals.

[Jouer]

The only major life change would be I'd like to live in a nicer home, maybe one with a small guest house for guests and rental purposes.

Oh, also, my spouse and I would FIRE immediately.

A bunch of people have mentioned rental properties/purposes, which I find interesting. They are great for building stach but what's the appeal when you have $100mil? For me, the 'pain in the ass: ROI' ratio wouldn't be worth it. I mean, unless it's somewhere where you can turn the $100mil into $500mil, or what have you.

So legit question to those who mentioned this: why would you bother with something that would net so little relative to your net worth?

 I am into rental properties because I have always been obsessed with the idea fixing up old homes, and I like the neighborhood revitalization aspect of it. Also I would buy up land and build affordable, a.k.a. smaller homes, integrated with the natural landscape before mega developers can get it and make entire communities of big ass ugly houses and lawns, and cut down old growth trees to replace them with puny, spaced out ornamentals.

Awesome idea!

[Villanelle]

The only major life change would be I'd like to live in a nicer home, maybe one with a small guest house for guests and rental purposes.

Oh, also, my spouse and I would FIRE immediately.

A bunch of people have mentioned rental properties/purposes, which I find interesting. They are great for building stach but what's the appeal when you have $100mil? For me, the 'pain in the ass: ROI' ratio wouldn't be worth it. I mean, unless it's somewhere where you can turn the $100mil into $500mil, or what have you.

So legit question to those who mentioned this: why would you bother with something that would net so little relative to your net worth?

I don't know if this is quite your question, but I did mention rentals.  I said I'd buy a few properties around the world at our most favorite travel destinations and the places we are most likely to want to return to year after year (Scotland, Venice...).  And I would set them up as vacation rentals when we weren't using them, even though with $100m, I'd never need the income.  It just seems wasteful to me to have them sitting empty, and I'd pay someone to manage them so it would be very little work on my part.  And I like the idea of paying a neighbor to do it, if possible so that perhaps I can foster some goodwill in a place where I'd be a semi-outsider.  Bringing money and work to the community would feel great, and having a property I could offer up for things like Make-A-Wish would perhaps help assuage my guilt at the extravagance of owning a bunch of houses I stayed in for a month or so every year or two. 

Also, I think I'd be mindful that a mindset of "I don't need to worry about money" turning into exactly the reason I would eventually need to worry about money again.  That's what gets the Johnny Depp's and MC Hammers and Pro Athletes in so much trouble.  The assume they are set for life and act accordingly.  Forcing myself to make smart financial choices that decrease my reliance, even it is it only by a few percent, on that stashe would also be a way of reminding myself to not be an idiot about money just because I've "made it".

And having more money to give to favorite charities and pet projects is a great problem to have.  If I can buy more of that problem by having some rentals (and paying a manager, meaning my workload is very minimal), of course I'm going to do it. 

[better late]

I would set up trusts for my kids and relative who is disabled. My kids are clearly frugal and I think would handle the $ well.. My other relative not so much but it would put my mind at ease.

I would buy the 3 BR. house in my neighborhood I've been eyeing for 3 years and renovate it, decking it out with a new kitchen and at least one of the baths and finishng the basement and I'd hire a decorator to help wth colors and fabrics because I hate making mistakes with that stuff.

Then I'd start a small business that I've been thinking about.

And I'd give $$ to the 3-4 charities in my town that work to end food insecurity for children.

I'd give $ to a few arts outlets here as well. Alumni giving as well.

We'd travel and spend a month or two in different cities.

And I'd hire people to do things like clean the house (and make the bed with clean sheets all the time--such a luxury) and cook a couple of nights a week with lots of leftovers. DH would probably hire the kid down the street to cut the lawn. Personal trainer to get us back in gear.

I think it would be fun to secretly pay off mortgages of friends and play dumb. But yeah, it would all have to be pretty secret.

[Roadrunner53]

I think I would invest in various franchise's maybe 20 or more. I would keep a good eye on trends so that if some franchise's become 'stale' I would sell and buy others to replace them. Just so there was a steady stream of income and to insure I would never go bankrupt like these fools you read about.

[Reynolds531]

I'd take a few months and really try to get used to the idea of being much more attractive to women.

[mountain mustache]

-I would quit my job immediately, and never work again.
- give enough to my parents so they can move into a cute house in the desert and retire
- buy a little cottage on some land in Crested Butte or Carbondale,  CO
- buy a little adobe house in the Sonoran desert in Tucson, AZ
- spend all of my time training for bike racing in AZ, and ski racing in CO
- go back to school and get Masters and PHD without debt
- rescue as many dogs as possible
- keep whatever I need to live on for the rest of my life on about 30k a year and donate the rest.

that'd about do it.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

One of the fun things about FI and fat-FI is that you don't buy "the things".  You no longer have to buy things (and maintain them).  Once you can waste money, you can do frivolous things like rent a super-car for a day or mansion for a week.  Sure, it's $400 down the drain for the car (or more for the house), but you also got to spend a day in a $100k car to see how much you really value it. 

In the least, you figured out how to rent these things at a time that they may benefit you (like impressing a client, where your investment pays off with landing a really great gig or job)...  Nothing makes you look more successful than being successful!

Sadly, at 60M post-tax, you can also rent or buy a lot of outrageous things and be OK.  60M at the 4% rule = 2.4M/yr.  Pretty easy retirement budget to manage for most of us :)

[MustacheAnxiety]

Start a business with my sister that designs and manufactures awesome robots.  Enlist brother-in-law to cajole her into it, if necessary.  Probably build some sort of medical robots.  It would be really great to be part of a group that brings technology to medicine as a force multiplier.

Pitch Atul Gawande to get our medical robots in the hands of competent technicians providing care to Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JP Morgan employees. Hope they can help lobby the government to bring change into how the medical care is provided.

Look into a partnership with IBM Watson Health.

If it looks like there is extra money once we figure out what kind of awesome robots to make, open a cat rescue to live our dream of being crazy cat people.  When the stress of dealing with the FDA and AMA is too much, cuddle all the cats.

Damn, does anyone have 100M I can borrow.  I am getting really sad about never realizing this dream.

[Jouer]

The only major life change would be I'd like to live in a nicer home, maybe one with a small guest house for guests and rental purposes.

Oh, also, my spouse and I would FIRE immediately.

A bunch of people have mentioned rental properties/purposes, which I find interesting. They are great for building stach but what's the appeal when you have $100mil? For me, the 'pain in the ass: ROI' ratio wouldn't be worth it. I mean, unless it's somewhere where you can turn the $100mil into $500mil, or what have you.

So legit question to those who mentioned this: why would you bother with something that would net so little relative to your net worth?

I don't know if this is quite your question, but I did mention rentals.  I said I'd buy a few properties around the world at our most favorite travel destinations and the places we are most likely to want to return to year after year (Scotland, Venice...).  And I would set them up as vacation rentals when we weren't using them, even though with $100m, I'd never need the income.  It just seems wasteful to me to have them sitting empty, and I'd pay someone to manage them so it would be very little work on my part.  And I like the idea of paying a neighbor to do it, if possible so that perhaps I can foster some goodwill in a place where I'd be a semi-outsider.  Bringing money and work to the community would feel great, and having a property I could offer up for things like Make-A-Wish would perhaps help assuage my guilt at the extravagance of owning a bunch of houses I stayed in for a month or so every year or two. 

Also, I think I'd be mindful that a mindset of "I don't need to worry about money" turning into exactly the reason I would eventually need to worry about money again.  That's what gets the Johnny Depp's and MC Hammers and Pro Athletes in so much trouble.  The assume they are set for life and act accordingly.  Forcing myself to make smart financial choices that decrease my reliance, even it is it only by a few percent, on that stashe would also be a way of reminding myself to not be an idiot about money just because I've "made it".

And having more money to give to favorite charities and pet projects is a great problem to have.  If I can buy more of that problem by having some rentals (and paying a manager, meaning my workload is very minimal), of course I'm going to do it.

Awesome answer, thank you. And great point about not wanting end up like the MC Hammer's of the world. You've given me pause for thought (on this hypothetical question).

[Arbitrage]

I'd definitely want to give some to family.  It would be tough to figure out exactly how to do so, given that some are struggling and could legitimately use some help; some are struggling but only due to excessive personal spending that will never rein in (and I know would try to keep the gravy train coming regardless of how much they were given); some are well-to-do. 

Personally, I'd probably want to move to the same sorts of places I'm considering early retirement in - easy access to outdoors, much lower traffic.  Trying to be honest with myself, adjustments I'd make vs. my current plan -
(a) Retire now rather than in 3-5 years
(b) Would purchase a nicer house in a nice neighborhood
(c) Probably would purchase a second house to snowbird or be near friends/family
(d) Would travel internationally more (and schedule more expensive trips like skiing), and I'm sure would travel first class
(e) I'm sure I'd want to buy a nice car.  Probably one for DW as well.  Nothing ridiculous, but something nice enough.
(f) I'd relent and let DW decorate as she saw fit - furniture, remodeling.

[MoneyMouse]

I've actually run the numbers of what I would do if I got this.

First things first - get my ass back up to my office and keep working until the end of the day, because making any sudden shifts would, I feel, make things horrible. Also, I feel like I'd just need to put it out of my mind and get a hold of myself first. Working would help do that right away.

Then, seek out a lawyer and set up a trust fund. 75% would immediately go there, invested in some sort of balanced growth index fund portfolio and I will live off the interest. No one would be able to touch that 75%. It would live there, I'd be able to get a portion of it (4% divided by 12) a month to live off of. Maybe have it designated to go to certain charities after my death. 10% would be set up in a trust for my parents to help them 1) pay off their (mountain) of debt and then 2) provide a similar monthly income contingent on the fact that they remain debt free.

Maybe set up a small trust for "gifts" for friends and family. Things like paying for a portion of tuition or professional certification.

From there, I don't think it'd change much.

• I'd buy a house hacking-suitable home in a central-ish neighborhood in my city ($350-450k), spend my time learning to renovate/handyman it. Rent out the basement.
• Set aside money for a dog (ultimately two or three, but start with one).
• Go on a vacation to some mountain resort or hostel.
• Take my parents on an all-inclusive vacation somewhere that isn't a tourist trap.
• Volunteer at the local humane society and learn how to train dogs.
• Devote more time to my karate club, maybe set up a bit of an "emergency fund" for the club since we're facing financial difficulties, and sponsor a summer training camp.
• Rescue a dog and spend all the time in the world with him.

Most of those I can plan for either the item exactly or an approximation of when I FIRE (no idea how far off that is yet, but it's gonna happen). What would be unique to the lotto scenario would be helping my parents pay off their debt, taking them out to an all-inclusive, and financially supporting my karate club. Heck, I don't think my karate club would even accept my financial support though.

I do want every home I live in to be a house hack (the idea of making money off a mortgage is too appealing to not do that, plus I don't need a lot of room to myself, I'm finding), I can go vacationing for cheap at hostels or AirBnBs (I don't like regular hotels anyways), and 90% of my reason for FIREing right now is to get a dog and be able to spend time with him. My current car is amazing - I might buy a more current version of it, like a 2010+ Honda Fit (currently have an '07) - and I like how I live right now. I don't need a lot more than what I have. In fact, I daresay that by not working I might be able to create businesses and income streams that would bring me much more satisfaction than my current full-time job does for the same take-home money. But it would take time and the lotto would give me that stability (so would FIRE, though).

[Lmoot]

Sheds.  Lots and lots of lovely big sheds and barns.  I see no point in having a huge house, but you can never have enough outbuildings!

I thought I was the only one! I love the look of a residential “campus”. I have a small shed and detached studio (converted from garage), and I can’t wait to add a gazebo with a sleeping loft at the back of the lot, and a green house/ outdoor kitchen.

Neighborhoods without backyard sheds and workshops sticking up over the fence...look dead to me.

[Hedge_87]

Sheds.  Lots and lots of lovely big sheds and barns.  I see no point in having a huge house, but you can never have enough outbuildings!

I thought I was the only one! I love the look of a residential “campus”. I have a small shed and detached studio (converted from garage), and I can’t wait to add a gazebo with a sleeping loft at the back of the lot, and a green house/ outdoor kitchen.

Neighborhoods without backyard sheds and workshops sticking up over the fence...look dead to me.

I would have a compound!

One shed for all my beer making stuff. Set up with floor drain so I can just hose the whole place down when done. No more big ass mop for me!

One garage complete with lift and any mechanic tool I would ever need. I would also have metal working equipment in there.

Another wood working facility with a bad ass dust collection system. I hate cleaning saw dust up after sawing and planing. I could build whatever furniture/cabinetry I felt like using lumber from my saw mill I already own.

A bad ass garage gym. This would be the only one I would put AC in. The mornings here have been brutal. They haven't stopped me from getting out there and throwing some iron around but it does make me question my sanity.

Bad ass man cave to kick back and watch some football. complete with full kitchen for entertaining purposes.

Last but not least an art/photography studio for my wife.

I currently have one shed that handles all these task but we are constantly converting from one hobby to the next. I have to get pretty creative with storage to accommodate all these different ventures. Of course I could build all of these myself just for the shear joy of DIY. I'd hire the concrete work done though. With that amount of money I would never pour another yard of concrete in my life.

[Warlord1986]

Well, if there's one thing that I've never wanted, it's a stand up paddleboard!

Prayer circle for Cranky.

[FIRE@50]

The Mega Millions jackpot is now over half a billion. I'm going to have a totally different lifestyle compared to my previous response to winning only a tenth of a billion. Would the rules of the forum allow me to change my response here or would I need to start a new thread?

[mak1277]

The Mega Millions jackpot is now over half a billion. I'm going to have a totally different lifestyle compared to my previous response to winning only a tenth of a billion. Would the rules of the forum allow me to change my response here or would I need to start a new thread?

If I won $500 million I'd buy MMM and turn it into a blog about low mileage SUVs and high end watches :-)

[AccidentalMiser]

Since I never buy lottery tickets, I am unlikely to ever find out the answer. 

I am afraid coming into 100 million (or even 30) would ruin my life.  I can say I'd do responsible things but I probably wouldn't.  I'd like to think that I've tamed my urges and passions enough to handle the ultimate life challenge, but I know better.

I'd likely end up a homeless, divorced drunk with no friends and no children who would speak to me.  The pressures of managing that kind of power without proper preparation would be overwhelming.  I don't want to be a mega-millionaire, most of them seem miserable, misguided, confused or lost.  Many of the other ones earned their money through dedication and effort and have mentally prepared themselves for handling wealth of this magnitude.  Most of them, it seems, still have frequent problems with children and other family members whose characters are overtaken by the presence of unlimited wealth.  I know there are notable exceptions to this rule but that's my perception.

I'll just keep my 'stache and enjoy living my life with that.

[talltexan]

Indeed I remember a story about a small business owner in Florida. Before winning the lottery, he'd already built a $1 mm business, yet even his life became a shambles with the cash infusion. He ultimately divorced and committed suicide.

and he wasn't the kind of in-debt mouth-breather who's usually sterotyped as not being able to handle lottery-type winnings.

[Cranky]

Well, if there's one thing that I've never wanted, it's a stand up paddleboard!

Prayer circle for Cranky.

I’m pretty sure I could manage to get seasick on a paddle board. ;-) also, they don’t look that expensive. Are they really?

[AlanStache]

Had to jump a head and post, great read so far.

Shortish term:
1) Get an electric classic Mustang that will do 0-60 in under 2.5.
2) See how living in San Francisco feels.
3) Train like a pro-athlete. 

Longer term:
4) Higher about 100 English Majors to flood social media with phonetic spelling and random homonym swappings.  Yeah I would attack standard english.  This might need to be a generational project where we focus on young people and get Alans English to gradually take over.  Just for fun I might add some Klingon and a bit of FireFly mandarin cursing.  Oh and I would probably eliminate silent letters - dont say them; dont type them. 
5) Do a deep dive into machine learning, see how many video games I can make an AI solve.

[RWD]

4) Higher about 100 English Majors to flood social media with phonetic spelling and random homonym swappings.

I was considering correcting your spelling but based on context perhaps it was intentional?

[RocketSurgeon]

I would buy a radio station and constantly annoy my employees while doing no work, while also involving them in elaborate schemes to trick women into dating me.

[Cranky]

If you have $100 million, I doubt you'll have to trick women into dating you.

[FIRE@50]

I would buy a radio station and constantly annoy my employees while doing no work, while also involving them in elaborate schemes to trick women into dating me.

Really cool that Howard Stern is a member of this forum.

[hred17]

I always love these topics and I love seeing how differently everyone would use the money!

First and foremost, I strongly believe in the sentiment that you should live your life now the same way you would live if you had ALL THE MONEY. Meaning - create a lifestyle that you are happy enough with so that it is not dependent on having ALL THE MONEY. (My husband always likes to tell our friends who question our slightly alternative lifestyle that we "are always aiming to live our best, 'poor' life"). :-)

That being said, I do have some plans I am working towards that would happen a lot sooner if I had access to ALL THE MONEY including:

1. Go get tacos and fancy-ass local craft beer to celebrate good fortune
2. Hire accountant/lawyer to make a plan for the money; set aside at least 80% of the money to grow/invest.
3. Quit the job that requires sitting in front of a screen and on my ass all day... Pronto.
4. Pay off parents mortgage and build them the front porch which they have wanted for years now. Make sure there is enough money to always take care of them (I'm an only child).
5. Buy a smallish used RV and set off with the hubs and pups for a year-long American Road Trip
6. Train for and participate in this: https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com
7. After completing Clipper Race, move ourselves back to Scotland and buy or build a small house near the mountains and ocean.
8. Travel to exotic locale and complete dive-master training.
9. Dedicate rest of life and money to cleaning the oceans and educating people on how to live in harmony with our planet.
10. Once my time is up, donate ALL THE MONEY to no-kill animal shelters around the world and the Surfrider Foundation (unless I have started a foundation of my own by then)!

For reference, me and the hubs are DINKS, early 40s, perpetual renters, dual UK/US citizens, have two fur-babies with no plans for kids.

[Warlord1986]

Well, if there's one thing that I've never wanted, it's a stand up paddleboard!

Prayer circle for Cranky.

I’m pretty sure I could manage to get seasick on a paddle board. ;-) also, they don’t look that expensive. Are they really?

Well you need this to carry your paddleboards otherwise you're just doing it wrong ;-)

Spartana knows what's up.

Paddle boards run between $100 and $1,000+. The hundred dollar stuff will sink soon after launching, or at the very least be hard to steer/paddle. The one I WANTWANTWANT is $949 on sale.

[talltexan]

So I'm bumping this thread because of the remarkable jackpots in both Mega Millions ($1,600 million) and Power Ball ($620 million).

I think I've cracked the code to a mustachian lottery office pool: the conventional Mustachian wisdom is don't play the lottery because tickets have a negative expected value. Even with very large jackpots, the chances of splitting a prize jump to where it's probably still negative.

But equally important is cultivating relationships with the people around us. And shared lottery exposure is one of those ways. So I've been buying 1/2 share in my office lottery. Every cycle, a whole series of people put in $4, and I--along with a like-minded co-worker--only put in $2. So we still have the correlated income with our co-workers, but it's coming at half the price.

[I'm a red panda]

I just found out about "The Bucket List Family"
He sold an app for many millions. They put it all in savings, sold everything they owned and traveled the world.
Theyade traveling their business, and never touched the original money.

I think I'd want to do that. Selling everything and setting out would be easier with a giant cushion

[Leisured]

Invest say $3M so that the dividends pay my living costs. Then the fun starts. Charity is an obvious possibility, but a few have suggested buying politicians to pursue an agenda. Interesting idea.

If I had enough money, I might consider buying an ocean research ship. The ship would be a normal business venture, so that I would rent it to research organisations who need such a ship. But I would have the option of joining the ship on a particular voyage that caught my fancy.

[Leisured]

4 million dollars: I immediately retire.
96 million dollars: my 24 closest friends do to.

You have 24 close friends?  You are already rich.

+1

[big_slacker]

As I told a co-worker, I'd just mountain bike more.

[Zamboni]

I don't think anyone should underestimate the array of problems that kind of wealth can create for people.

Unfortunately I live in a state where I'd have to claim it with my real name . . .
the scammers and the crazies would come out of the wood work. I'd wear a bag over my head at the claiming photo, but there are enough picture of me on the web already (due to my job) that people would be able to hunt me down from those anyway.

I would consult with the person I know with a family fortune of billions. They are noted philanthropists, but keep a very low profile in terms of how they dress, what they drive, etc. I'd ask him and his Dad what I should do to protect myself and my family. I'd hire the lawyer they recommend, get a new trust and new will in place, and I'd call up Vanguard. Vanguard would help me decide what to do for the security of immediate family (Mom, Dad, sibling, children, etc.) Then I'd get out of my current state and try a stealth move to where no strangers can find me, find a small place walking distance to a decent grocery/restaurant area, and set up a routine that is similar to my current routine, but with fancier grocery items. If necessary, I'd change my name.

Things I have had in the past that I definitely do NOT want again:
Large home
expensive car

Things I have done in the past that I would do more of:
private jet travel
business class travel

[talltexan]

If travel is cheap, you can move out of the area you live, but then come back all the time to maintain the relationships with people you trust from that area.

Does this really sound like a net improvement?

[Rural]

Legal name change first, then claim prize, then change name back?

[dude]

Build an eco-friendly lodge in the mountains somewhere near good skiing and climbing, and another place in Costa Rica near good surf. Buy a sailboat and learn to sail. Travel a shitload, and probably first class because, why not?

To be sure, I'd commit at least half to a charitable trust to support causes near to my heart.

[I'm a red panda]

Legal name change first, then claim prize, then change name back?

Can you move to a state that doesn't require disclosure, then claim it?

[nereo]

I'd buy 20 pairs of Darn Tough socks. 

Then I'd put a million$ into my index funds following my AA (pushing us well past FI).

The remainder would go into a fund to support various organizations and charities (mostly local and regional) over the next 30 years.

[FIRE Artist]

It’s fun to dream so I will bite.

Besides the usual, should go without saying, bits about sharing with family and setting up a charity foundation, I would like to have 2-3 places to live. Not big houses mind you, I don’t like having staff (had it for years as an expectation when I was an expat, don’t like the privacy invasion), so I need places of easy to manage size, and in a situation where security isn’t a huge concern when the place is left vacant. I am thinking something like a townhouse condo on Vancouver island so I can have a bit of a yard, a loft condo in Montreal for the culture, and an apartment condo in Halifax for as long as my mother is alive.

I would, of course, quit my job, then start to chip away at my bucket list of things I want to do as per my journal entries. And I would buy a lot of art in addition to that.

[JLee]

Legal name change first, then claim prize, then change name back?

Can you move to a state that doesn't require disclosure, then claim it?

That is an interesting question -- I'm not sure if they go by the date you won, or the date it was redeemed...

This seems to indicate it'd be the date of the check, which makes sense: https://money.stackexchange.com/questions/57082/are-lottery-winnings-taxed-based-on-the-ticket-date-or-the-redemption-date

[Cache_Stash]

I would install a self sustaining solar system in my house and take it off the grid. 

Hell for that money, I'd buy some land and take my whole neighborhood off the grid.

Then Charity.

[nereo]

Legal name change first, then claim prize, then change name back?

Can you move to a state that doesn't require disclosure, then claim it?

That is an interesting question -- I'm not sure if they go by the date you won, or the date it was redeemed...

This seems to indicate it'd be the date of the check, which makes sense: https://money.stackexchange.com/questions/57082/are-lottery-winnings-taxed-based-on-the-ticket-date-or-the-redemption-date

I know that some people have remained anonymous by setting up a LLC and having a attorney or fiduciary claim the price on behalf of the corporation. 

There was a woman in New Hampshire who won the Powerball jackpot of $500MM+ and then successfully sued to remain anonymous.  She successed even though she had signed the back of hte ticket, which normally would have prevented her from having a fiduciary claim the prize anonymously on her behalf.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/13/593141325/call-her-jane-dough-new-hampshire-lottery-winner-can-stay-anonymous-court-says

On a longer-term strategy, lottery winners seem to make news for just a few months.  Put it into a trust fund, tell people you gave most to charity, whatever and in a couple of years people will stop caring or coming to you with their hands out. The more flashy you are the more attention you draw.

[talltexan]

I cannot help but recall an episode of "The Simpsons" in which Homer buys a winning lottery ticket, but he cannot reveal he won to Marge, because he'd promised her he was running some other errand in a totally different part of town when the ticket was bought. So he hides all the cash in a hollow tree and just takes everyone on really expensive balloon rides.

[GuitarStv]

Sage advice.

[profnot]

I'd help family and friends.  Then create affordable housing for poor seniors.

People over age 65 are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population in the US.

My alma mater's endowment fund would be my main heir.

[nereo]

My alma mater's endowment fund would be my main heir.

Who is your alma mater?

[talltexan]

I stopped donating to one of my universities when Bertie Buffet (the last name is no coincidence) established a $100,000,000 center for international business studies. If they are getting Buffet money, then talltexan money will not move the needle.

[jnw]

I'd have a trust get the ticket so my name wouldn't be known and I wouldn't tell anyone.  Throw it all in savings.  Donate 90% of it to charity when I do.  I'd buy things I felt I truly needed.  I might get a larger home but not much larger.. maybe a $300k home instead of 100k home that I have now.  I'd probably buy a Tesla as well :)