How many of us have held on to a lotto ticket and only checked the lottery results days later?
For Brad Duke, residing in Star, Idaho, this was the case.
Back in 2005, Brad was driving a rental vehicle and kept the ticket in the visor of the car. When he stoped to refuel he decided to finally check his numbers. The reaction received from the ladies at the counter pretty much confirmed he was a winner but he had no idea how much. Instead, his flight instinct kicked in, he grabbed his ticket and left the store. He thought he had won maybe 10, 15 or 20 thousand but he didn't confirm it. Instead he spent his time wondering about how he was going to spend his winnings.
It didn't sink in for a couple of days and then even a few weeks went by. During this time, he didn't tell a soul. When Brad realised he had won the jackpot of $220 million in the Powerball lottery, he chose to make a phone call to his father and told his dad that he had some life-changing news. As can be expected, Brad's dad expected a marriage announcement. When Brad said, nope, he then said, well, then you're the guy that won the lottery. Brad's dad immediately came over to chat with him and they kept it under wraps for a couple of weeks while discussing next steps.
Brad was a regular lottery player, he would fantasize about what he would like to do with his winnings one day. As an avid cyclist he dreamt of owning a high-end bicycle or two. Instead of going on a spending spree, Brad decided to rather focus on growing his wealth and keeping his feet firmly on the ground and he changed very little of his usual lifestyle in the process.
Brad's biggest piece of advice for fellow jackpot winners is to make the most of the opportunity and not squander the gift that is given to them.
Try to grow your wealth, leave a legacy behind. Set the right goals for your future and let that dictate your decisions.
It all started with Brad buying that lucky Powerball ticket, the rest is history.
