What would you do if you won the lottery?

The chances are astronomical. Yet we play every draw. No matter how many times you play the odds never change. Why do we do this. Betting on horses, dogs or football gives you a little more control. The odds of winning are lower, and to give you more winnings you have to risk more.

However, I do buy lottery tickets. With life changing rewards it is hard to resist. With two million pounds being the base winnings, the four draws a week on two lotteries, can be quite expensive. I do not play every time because I do forget to buy a ticket.

The question is what would I do with the winnings?

On Tuesday there is a jackpot of 122 million on the Euro lottery. That is a substantial amount of money. It would certainly change my life. First I would give half to my wife.

That will save arguments later. We both have children from other relationships, and it means that we can spent on our children without guilt. I can leave all my legacy to my child, as she can her children. Together we can buy, or build, the house we both want. Being older, we have an eye on the life we have left. It could be many years, but it is unlikely to be as many years as we have already had.

For me, it is more about what I would not buy. My car is old (15 years this year) but I would not change it. And when I decided to, it would be for an electric car. But that would be something akin to my current car, rather plain and from the cheaper end of the range. My wife likes SUVs where as I am more in favour of standard hatchbacks or saloons. Even with so many millions I would not see the point to spending many thousands on a car.

It is much better spending money on building a prosperous future for my child and grandchild. It would be something in property, probably, but I would talk to her about it.

I would continue to work at the job I currently spend over forty hours a week attending. Once I have secured a retirement plan, that pension I have paid into for many years is secured. Compared to the amount I would have, it is a tiny sum. However it is something I have worked hard for. It is what I am entitled to. I know when this conversation comes up at work, my colleagues are shocked by that reply. Bit they all tend to be young with around forty years left. They would feel different if they were my age. I am above the minimum retirement age, it would only be a couple of months till I could retire.

After picking an island in the Canaries my wife and I would travel out for a very long holiday. A few months, perhaps. Find a lovely place to buy. Since the EU referendum, a lottery win is the only way I would obtain my dream of retirement under the sun. Now I would need a residential permit, so I am not restricted on spending time there.

I do believe in work. It is not natural for me to be doing nothing. I would certainly continue writing. I do not think I am able to stop. Money is not the driver behind the words, nor is ego. Either of those reasons would have made me stop many years ago.

A holiday home, either in this country or another, a long holiday. Attempting to secure the future for the next few generations. A simple answer.

Thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate all my readers. If I do win the lottery I will be sure to let you all know.

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