Winning Twenty Million Dollars

Yesterday morning I heard that someone in Western Australia had won 20 million dollars. The Lotto winners, a suburban couple, claimed their prize yesterday. It’s the largest amount to be won in Western Australia so far this year and is the fourth biggest in WA history.

I can assure you that it wasn’t me who won. The fact that I’ve never bought a ticket in my life kind of guarantees that.

Obviously there are winners in all kinds of lotteries but the odds of winning a big prize aren’t all that good. I’ve done a little research and you’ve got a much better chance of being killed by lightning, being blackmailed or seriously injuring yourself while shaving. While I’d prefer to have 20 million dollars in my pocket than the other three options, I know that the chances aren’t all that great so I don’t bother buying tickets.

Mind you, that doesn’t stop me from thinking of what I would do with 20 million bucks if someone gave it to me. I’d be able to secure my financial future, help out some friends, and give some substantial funding to a number of causes I’m passionate about.

What would you do if you were suddenly 20 million dollars richer?

I know that most people would spend their money in the same way, whether they had a lot or very little. If you are generous when you don’t have much you’re likely to be generous if a large sum ever comes your way. If you’re the kind of person who only spends on themselves, you’re unlikely to become generous to others if you suddenly become rich.

I don’t have a lot of money but I do try to support causes that I believe in as much as possible. I’m very unlikely to ever find myself swimming in cash but if that ever happened, I hope that I would be generous with my money.

So, dream a little. How would use use $20 000 000?



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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He previously worked in radio for about 25 years but these days he spends his time at Compassion Australia, working towards releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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4 Comments

  • I would buy mansion on 5 acres in Sydney then sponsor loads of children through World Vision and set up a fundraising company to support Fistulas clinic in Ethiopia and work with Unicef to improve maternal health and child health in developing countries.

    • I love the way you’re thinking. I’d certainly support oranisations like World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse and especially Compassion.

      If you do ever win twenty million, we’ll be over right away for a stay in your mansion. 🙂

  • After paying off my mortgage and the debts of immediate family, I would probably lock away the remainder in a term deposit for 3 months, then carry on with life as normal while carefully thinking and praying about what to do with it.

    The possible ways of using 20 million wisely are endless, but so are the ways of wasting it, and there are many stories of lottery winners blowing it all or being changed in negative ways. That’s why I think I’d need some enforced “cooling off” time to think, and hear wisdom from above.

    After that … the works of Compassion and Teen Challenge spring to mind. Being able to anonymouslyy give away bags of money as I feel led could be a lot of fun. Investing some also sounds sensible. I like to think I’d keep my current job, but with less hours. Exploring more of Aust/NZ in a campervan would be my main luxury.

    Of course this all remains a dream, because, like you Rodney, I don’t play lotto. But if God wants to place a few million in my letterbox, I’m open to the idea.

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