Winning the lottery brings a wave of emotions and a lot of questions, from who to tell to how to manage your money.
So, what do people actually do after winning? We recently spoke with past TattsLotto division one winner, Rachel De Oliveira, who shared her experience and how she approached her prize.
More than 10 years ago, Rachel won $100,000 as part of a 10-person syndicate with an entry she purchased from her local retailer. Syndicate entries are a popular way to play, where players pool their money together to buy bigger entries and increase their chance of winning.
After her win, Rachel focused on balancing a few personal purchases with longer-term financial decisions.
"When I won the lottery, it was definitely a life-changing moment for us in the family," Rachel recalled fondly.
"I still get questions from family members and friends, but obviously now that I have shared on social media, I do get strangers asking what we spent the winnings on as well."
From splurging on a brand-new golf cart to undergoing cosmetic procedures while also paying down their mortgage, Rachel said it's important to stay grounded and consider your financial future.
"My advice to any other winner would be to think first before spending the money and definitely get some financial advice," she said.
"If I won the lottery again today, I would be going straight to Europe with the family and then looking at investing the remaining balance."
More than a decade on, Rachel says the lessons from her lottery win still guide how she thinks about money today.
