Home Features Friday Debate – What would you do if you won the lottery?

Friday Debate – What would you do if you won the lottery?

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Friday-lotto-debate-1

We’ve all shared the same dream in life, one fantasy where we’re given a fat stack of cash for doing absolutely sweet stuff-all. Barring a highly improbably situation where it turns out that you’re next in line to inherit billions from a rich relative that you never knew about, getting a ton of money with little to no effort is something that will never happen for us. Ever. Damn you Adam Sandler’s Mr Deeds.

Still, there is one way to win cash, even if the odds are never in your favour: The national lottery. South Africa’s lottery and Powerball games are especially great, when compared to their international counterparts. Minimum tax on winnings (I think, the reading is murky on this one), you get pretty much all the cash in one massive sum if you so choose to and rollovers happen frequently.

Some people might call it an idiot tax, but I don’t care. I regularly play the Powerball, and I have a ton of fun imagining what I’d do with that money if I got my hands on it. For real, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to wake up with tens of millions in my bank account and tell my parents to stop working. I don’t think I’d go mental with the cash either, investing the majority of it and living off the interest, while taking a million or two to spend on stuff that I really want. Like a house to store all my Batman figures in.

More importantly though, I’d ensure that I use the cash in a way that allows me to have a purpose in life. A reason to get out of bed and keep moving forward. What about you? What would you do if you woke up tomorrow morning with tens of millions deposited into your account? Buy an actual bridge and burn it down in front of your boss?

Go see the world, invest in the future or finally buy your dream car? Would you even, on a more horrifying note, give some cash to charity? Brrrrrr I don’t even want to think about that. Sound off below. Tell us what you’d do with a fortune, what you’d buy or who’d you prank with the power of too much money. Maybe also tell me your lucky numbers. For uh…research.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Critical Hit as an organisation.

Last Updated: October 26, 2018

62 Comments

  1. Pump up my parents pension.
    Do a thing for rest of family
    Upgrade car
    Upgrade house
    Upgrade pc
    Do everything i currently do, but 50% more expensively.

    Use rest to survive. Invest, whatever it is grown ups do etc.

    Reply

  2. Jonathan van de Wouw

    October 26, 2018 at 10:47

    Have had this discussion a lot and you know what? I would invest in such a way that I could merely replace my current income without the need to work full time, pay off the remainder of our bond and buy a modest holiday home. Then I’d just spend each day enjoying life being fully and completely financially independent without any excess or exorbitance, in fact I would probably give a huge chunk away to those far more in need, homes for abandoned children and orphans, homeless support, economic and social upliftment efforts, animal welfare organisations etc.

    Reply

    • G8crasha

      October 26, 2018 at 10:55

      Settle debts, invest the money, retire (for now – I might return to working if I get bored), help out some members of my family, give some to my religion, and give back to all those that helped me in my life. Whatever is leftover I’ll use to spoil myself.

      Reply

      • Jonathan van de Wouw

        October 26, 2018 at 11:02

        I’ll use up the free time to do something creative, write, create

        Reply

        • G8crasha

          October 26, 2018 at 11:11

          Edit gameplay videos…there is a certain amount of creativity there as well!!!

          Reply

  3. Admiral Chief

    October 26, 2018 at 10:47

    It is against my beliefs to gamble.

    However, should someone gift me with a lot of money, I do have a list:

    – Pay off house
    – Pay off car
    – Pay off bike
    – Pay for wedding
    – Pay for honeymoon
    – Buy new house with gaming lair
    – ALL TEH PC MASTRRR RACE GEAR
    – Invest in something
    – Buy shares in current company
    – Remain on at current company

    Reply

  4. Admiral Chief

    October 26, 2018 at 10:48

    I’d finally ask Geoff out on a date

    Reply

  5. Admiral Chief

    October 26, 2018 at 10:48

    I’d hire Darryn as a day/night Bat-person full time cosplayer

    Reply

    • The D

      October 26, 2018 at 10:48

      You can pay me in towels, for all the sweat I’ll generate.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        October 26, 2018 at 10:49

        Awwwyeah, now that type of comment makes me require a towel….what?

        Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      October 26, 2018 at 10:51

      Batfred, your very own Batman Alfred hybrid

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        October 26, 2018 at 12:52

        AND HE WILL HAVE TO TALK IN A GRUFF VOICE THE WHOLE TIME

        Reply

        • Matthew Holliday

          October 26, 2018 at 12:56

          Michael Cain doing a Batman impersonation?
          I can get behind that

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief

            October 26, 2018 at 13:01

            I’ll send you my GoFundMe link for this

  6. Admiral Chief

    October 26, 2018 at 10:48

    I’ll buy iPhones and use as target practice with a .50BMG

    Reply

  7. For the Emperor!

    October 26, 2018 at 10:50

    1 – Invest a healthy portion so I can live off the interest
    2 – Give my parents the option to stop working as they are above 60 in any case
    3 – Move my parents to a better neighbourhood
    4 – Selectively enable some friends to better themselves. No free handouts, I am talking gym memberships and practical courses/studies to improve their employment chances.
    5 – Invest a portion so that the proceeds from that goes to good causes, like the SPCA and fighting childhood cancers.
    6 – Depending on the amount, I might continue working or if I do not need to, spend time between travelling the world, hitting the gym, cosplay, D&D and 40K!
    7 – Depending on the amount, I might finance the local gaming industry to create my ultimate RPG experience!

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      October 26, 2018 at 10:51

      Yeah, I’d definitely start up a company that outlaws irresponsible dog/cat breeding

      Reply

  8. Admiral Chief

    October 26, 2018 at 10:53

    I’d love to live on a decent piece of land, surrounded by animals, and protected by Darryn in the Batsuit

    Reply

  9. Admiral Chief

    October 26, 2018 at 10:53

    I’ll use funds to set up renewable energy company to force Eishkom to close down

    Reply

  10. Gavin Mannion

    October 26, 2018 at 10:55

    I really don’t know to be honest. I’d the obvious and pay off any debt I had and get myself a reasonable house. Pay off families debt (this is if I win the HUGE lottery else they can fend for themselves)

    Then take a couple of million and go travel

    I’ve always wanted to fix up properties and resell them, would probably give that a go.

    I would also ensure I hired a professional door knocker to annoy Darryn for the rest of eternity and buy a lifetimes subscription to a spider delivery service for Geoff

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      October 26, 2018 at 10:55

      I’ll contribute to the spOder service

      Reply

  11. Kromas

    October 26, 2018 at 10:56

    Invest half in stocks outside of SA
    Use the other half to buy houses and rent them out.

    Play games the rest of my life.

    Reply

    • Kromas

      October 26, 2018 at 10:57

      Also that R100000 chair that does everything except pleasure you.

      Reply

      • The D

        October 26, 2018 at 10:59

        That’s the R100 001 chair.

        Reply

        • Kromas

          October 26, 2018 at 11:01

          Yeah but I plan to go all out with Hookers and Coke.

          Reply

  12. Matthew Holliday

    October 26, 2018 at 11:01

    Pump up my parents pension.
    Do a thing for rest of family
    Upgrade car
    Upgrade house
    Upgrade pc
    Do everything i currently do, but 50% more expensively.

    Use rest to survive. Invest, whatever it is grown ups do etc.

    Reply

  13. Admiral Chief

    October 26, 2018 at 11:05

    I’ll send Llew a package of foam 7’s every 7 hours

    Reply

  14. Admiral Chief

    October 26, 2018 at 11:07

    I’ll employ Hammersteyn as my personal bodyguard

    Reply

  15. Kromas

    October 26, 2018 at 11:07

    I’ll buy the whole of CH a copy of Fortnite Save the World.

    Also I will buy a Xbox and a Playstation and make them crash into each other over a live stream to see who wins. Hint PC always wins.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      October 26, 2018 at 11:08

      Yeah, MOAR Save The World

      Reply

  16. Kromas

    October 26, 2018 at 11:12

    Buy a tank. Drive in the yellow lane so Taxis can’t use it. Drive over E-Toll Gantries. Flip off the cops …. what are they gonna do? I have a tank.

    Reply

    • HvR

      October 26, 2018 at 11:49

  17. Kromas

    October 26, 2018 at 11:16

    Buy one of those japanse mechs that actually work.

    Use that to go everywhere. I wanna see someone try to hijack me.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      October 26, 2018 at 11:17

      I want a Timberwolf mech

      Reply

      • Kromas

        October 26, 2018 at 11:18

        Mad Cat Mk2.

        Reply

        • For the Emperor!

          October 26, 2018 at 11:19

          ^^^

          Reply

        • Admiral Chief

          October 26, 2018 at 11:24

          Overkill, do you seriously think anything in SA’s armed ‘forces’ will stand against a Timberwolf?

          Reply

          • Kromas

            October 26, 2018 at 11:26

            Go big or go home. The only Reason I did not say Atlas is because the fucker will overheat here.

  18. Kromas

    October 26, 2018 at 11:19

    Build a PC I can overclock like a mofo and try to see if I can break overclocking records.

    Reply

  19. The Big Bad Wolf

    October 26, 2018 at 11:19

    I would fill up my car.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      October 26, 2018 at 11:23

      To the top you go

      Reply

  20. Kromas

    October 26, 2018 at 11:21

    Hire Morgan Freeman to follow me around and narrate my life story in real time for the rest of my life.

    Reply

  21. Kromas

    October 26, 2018 at 11:22

    Fly over to Skywalker ranch and kick George Lucas in the nuts for episode 1-3. Then fly over to Disney and slap Kathleen Kennedy in the tits for what she is doing to Star Wars now.

    Then buy the Star Wars license from Disney and stop making movies altogether.

    Then buy EA and shutter it.

    Reply

    • HvR

      October 26, 2018 at 11:49

      You will need to win 10 Powerball draws for that big dream

      Reply

      • Kromas

        October 26, 2018 at 12:25

        Well we are talking hypothetical here so I made my winnings enough.

        Reply

  22. Ghost In The Rift

    October 26, 2018 at 11:23

    Ill buy all the game IP’s that did not make it onto PC and port it to PC…should they refuse ill get my personal army that i’d hire to “sort” them out and get rid of the Illuminati the same time.

    Reply

  23. HvR

    October 26, 2018 at 11:47

    Buy Critical Hit, rename it Lazygamer.net and force Geoff to call me the boss-man.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      October 26, 2018 at 11:49

      I’ll buy in to that

      Reply

  24. Yondaime

    October 26, 2018 at 11:57

    Sort out parents, Invest, buy a house with a huge garage & buy old cars that I’ve always wanted to own. From there i’d just pretend like i never won & continue living as an undercover rich person

    Reply

  25. Pariah

    October 26, 2018 at 12:27

    I’d buy a LOT of ice cream. Lactose intolerance be damned.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      October 26, 2018 at 14:07

      Release the FartKen

      Reply

  26. CrAiGiSh

    October 26, 2018 at 12:47

    BUY EVERYTHING !!!

    Reply

  27. Anon A Mouse

    October 26, 2018 at 14:25

    I’m a simple man with simple needs. I’ll have money to buy RDR2. And pay for hookers. And booze.

    Reply

  28. Skyblue

    October 27, 2018 at 02:04

    Have a good nights sleep at last…

    Reply

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