Blogocentric Formulations

Lottery Winnings

Prompt #44: What would you spend your money on if you won the lottery? After all the usuals (paying off your house, clearing your debts, buying your parents a new car, etc.), what would you spend the rest of your fortune on?


If I won the lottery, after all the usuals, I would probably invest most of my winnings in a business or other investment opportunity of some kind. My heart would want to start a film and television production company so that I could write, produce, and direct projects, but I know what a risk investing in entertainment products can be. So my head would want me to start some kind of real estate business, or maybe invest in a company that's trying to bring a product to market.

Were I to start a production company, I think I would start with something akin to what Jason Blum did for Blumhouse, where there was a very specific, low-budget business plan, in order to maximize the chance of having a return on investment, and to be able to produce a number of different projects, rather than just one or two big ones where all of your success is riding on whether it works out or not. I'd also consider maybe starting an animation production house, because then you can truly make any kind of project you want, and aren't reliant on a lot of very specific production costs even if you want to do something in the fantasy, science fiction, or period spaces that would normally cost a lot more if you shoot a live action version.

Were I to start a business, the most likely place to start would probably be running my own family office, where I can choose where the investments and opportunities go. But I think it would be really interesting to find someone with a vision for a product or service that I really believe in, partner up with them, and see that business through its launch and (hopeful) growth. I could see myself investing in a company developing some kind of medical device or research, a nonprofit of some kind with a mission I believed in, or something along those lines.

A large portion of any lottery fortune would also go to charity, and after years of attending and trying to build up small churches, I think it would be an incredible blessing to be able to help finance a small church plant and ensure they have the finances to continue building for years to come. In Orange County, real estate is at a premium and rents are through the roof; a lot of church plants that have gotten off the ground have done so by having a generous benefactor basically provide them with a building (either to own or to lease at a steep discount), which is what allows them to gain their footing. It would be great to have the funds to be able to purchase a few buildings and then transfer them to churches in the community, free and clear.

No matter what way it plays out, though, I definitely see any big lottery winnings I may happen upon as more of an opportunity to invest in and give to others, rather than an opportunity to live large. I don't need to live in a fifteen thousand square foot mansion, or to drive a Lamborghini Revuelto around town, or to have libraries and other buildings around town with my family's name on them. I'd rather invest that money in something that could do some good for others, whether it be direct charity or building a company that would employ people and take good care of them.