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Winning the Lottery Is the Easy Part
Sudden Wealth Changes Everything, Especially Your Level of Exposure
Spencer Coursen
November 17, 2025
BLUF: Five ways to protect what matters most after you hit the jackpot and how to stay private, secure, and in control when sudden wealth finds you.
Half a Billion Dollars Won’t Save You
The Powerball just crossed half a billion dollars, which means hopes, dreams, and “what I’d do if I won” fantasies are spreading faster than a child’s cough in a daycare classroom.
You have heard the usual greatest hits:
Quitting your job in a way that gets you fired
Telling your boss what you really think
Throwing a 4-day rock concert in your backyard, just to spite your neighbors
Buying a pet tiger
Entertaining, sure.
But here is what almost no one realizes:
Winning the lottery instantly elevates your threat profile. You go from regular citizen to walking jackpot in a single news cycle.
“Winning the lottery turns you into a walking jackpot in a single news cycle.” — Spencer Coursen
Half a billion dollars does not just buy freedom.
It buys risk.
You may not realize it, but your social network is already swimming with social piranha waiting for the first smell of blood. If you do not protect your privacy, anonymity, and security, you will attract problems faster than a biblioklept set loose in a rare book store. Predators and opportunists will target you simply because they can.
This newsletter is about making sure they never get that chance.
Why Privacy and Anonymity Matter More Than the Money
1. You Become a Walking Bullseye
Scammers, stalkers, opportunists, distant acquaintances, long lost cousins, and the friend who still owes you money suddenly become highly motivated. They do not see your win. They see their opportunity.
2. Your Name Can Become Public
Many states require lottery winners to be identified.
Your name, your city, your payout.
Winning the lottery turns you into a walking jackpot in a single news cycle.
3. Predators Follow the Money
Financial predators want access.
Violent predators want leverage.
Both study public records.
Without anonymity, your risk profile skyrockets.
4. Pressure Creates Terrible Decisions
Most financial disasters are the result of emotionally-driven decisions.
Excitement and adrenaline create impulsive decisions that can take years to undo.
5. You Attract “Experts” Like Honey Attracts Bees
You’ll be approached by advisors, wealth managers, consultants, and your cousin’s friend’s brother who promises he “knows a guy. Almost none of them will be qualified to protect you. The best in the business do not solicit. They screen.
Bottom Line
Winning the lottery may feel like freedom.
But freedom without structure can become a threat.
If you ever find yourself holding that winning ticket, remember:
The jackpot is the opportunity. Your safety is what protects it.
The 5 Things You Should Do If You Actually Win
These are the same steps I guide clients through when their lives change overnight.
1. Before You Claim the Prize: Stay Silent; Tell No One
Not your boss.
Not your friends.
Not your barber.
Silence is your first layer of security.
If your state allows anonymous claims, use that option.
2. Assemble Your Protection Team (Discreetly)
Your first three calls:
An attorney who specializes in asset protection
A CPA or tax strategist
A fiduciary financial advisor
This team helps you:
Create a trust or LLC
Protect your assets
Shield your identity
Claim your prize safely
This is not optional. It’s foundational.
3. Lock Down Your Digital + Physical Security
Big Boy Rules are Now in Effect
Secure everything:
Change every password
Add two-factor authentication
Freeze your credit
Get a P.O. box or virtual address
Review home security (cameras, lighting, access control)
Scrub social media for personal details
Your life just changed. And so did the people who will target you.
4. Make No Major Decisions for 90 Days
No jets.
No mansions.
No cars.
No boats.
No investments.
No loans.
You need time for:
Financial planning
Estate planning
Tax strategy
Legacy planning
Risk analysis
Lifestyle design
If you act while emotionally drunk, you’ll regret it while logically sober.
5. Decide What You Want Your Future to Look Like
Money magnifies identity. It’s also a steroid for personality.
Ask yourself:
What do I actually value?
Who am I responsible for?
What boundaries need to be enforced?
What do I want this money to protect?
Choose your future, or the money will choose it for you.
Make sure the choice serves you.
Disagree with anything? Hit reply—I always read your responses.
Live Smart. Stay Safe.
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