The odds of winning millions of dollars in a lottery are very, very small, and are only slightly improved by buying a ticket. But people do win. The problem is that most winners believe they are now rich, when they have little understanding of how much money it takes to live like a truly rich person. Your payout is not going to be what you were led to believe, and it can be drained really quick when you see yourself as set for life.
First, there's income taxes. Then you need to pay people to manage your money. Then you need to consider your life span and how to make a limited amount of cash last before you quit your job. This TED-Ed lesson takes a hypothetical $3 million lottery jackpot and shows how it will not make you fabulously wealthy. However, it can provide you with a comfortable life if you manage it wisely. Personally, I have managed to avoid the curse of wealth by not buying a ticket.
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