I would take the lump sum , say good bye to the wife after i give her half of the money, take the dog with me and never be seen or heard of again. change my name and just go far away, were there is no media , Just like the wittiness protection program. there would be enough money to live comfortably for the next ten lifetimes. I have my tickets for the next few draws if need be. If the jackpot doesn't go my way, then there is no need to split the money with my wife, i will settle for the second prize, Its so nice to dream.

You guys got to remember the stories of people that went broke didn't win as much as the prizes are today.  They won maybe 1 to 5 million dollars.  You can go through that kind of money quickly if you don't know how to manage money.  If you took the lump sum from Tuesday jackpot you would be left with over 80 million.  The interest you could make off of that money is equal to the annuity payments each year.  Even if you were bad at managing money it would really be hard to go through that kind of money and interest you earn.  No matter how high the annuity payments are...always take cash...any financial advisor will give you that advice (i am a finance major).  Money now is worth more than more money in the future.

Brad

Unless you make a target of yourself, like  Andrew “Jack” Whittaker did, the media will grow tired of you in a hurry. Once the media grows tired of you, then you can live a decent life. Until then, hire the appropriate team to isolate you from the Charity leeches. Hide behind a LLC, so your address, phone, etc are not public inoformation. With $100M you could afford to hire a couple of Personal Assistance types, let them stand in the lime light for you. Remember, you only hear about Robert De Niro when Robert De Niro wants you to hear about Robert De Niro. He has more money than you'll ever dream about, is a better target for the media, and the media leaves him alone to go after those who make a better target.

The media is always interested in easy targets; kind of like pack dogs. Once they smell blood some where else, they'll be out of your life. Unless you challenge them or invite them back. Get you money, travel, then decide how and where to live. Why buy a house in LA, when, during your travels, you may fall in love with Sydney Australia. I'm sure you won't be tracked in Switzerland.

Ohio have had a couple of big MM winners who got national coverage when they claimed their prize, but have since went unnoticed.  Only the Cleveland woman who lied about losing a winning ticket still makes the news once in a while.

You designate a beneficiary to receive the annuity payments after you die, and the survivor pays the tax on the annuity as they collect. It works the same way as a retirement annuity. I set up two for my parents, and they pay tax on just the investment income paid out in the annuity. You don't pay the tax on the entire present cash value.

Lump sum is still better than annuity. No doubt about it.

Those people found themselves broke because they took the lump sum and started giving money away to family and friends like it would never run out.  Some started businesses that failed.  They forget that in starting a business that they can lose more money than their initial investment through operating losses or through lawsuits.  There's probably also a tendency to just use the money to buy their way out problems (lawsuits again) because it's so much easier.

I have to get my ticket for the BIG one on tuesday. Here to wishing everyone good luck!

as the name says "Destinedtowin"

Why not take the lump sum.  One could always buy as many annuities (conservation of principle) as they desire with some of it.  Really, with $200-million ($63,240,000 after taxes in IL) one could have their cake and eat it too!

I would like this run to go to at least the 23th so I could have a chance at this jackpot run.  It should be over 300 million by then I hope.

I am Glad to be back ..... I bought my tickets and hope can be the winner with all these problems you guys are talking about, of course I'll have tax attornery, some financial advisors and my wife to be help me... I am exciting about this....200 million let's go hoo-ray!!

I think someone mentioned that in here before, there are too many "what if's" if you take annutity. What you die, who gets it? What if your state starts an income tax or hikes a tax? What if your state makes some other changes? What if your family story changes? What if you need more money ahead of schedule then you borrow from someone to get your money from some early lotto loan agent that charges you an arm and a leg? These are just some of my intial thoughts and what if's. I'm sure you coule all add more. If it's in your hands than you have control waiting 20-30 years is a serious risk. I don't think any state government lotto can plan better than any of us in here when it comes to your finances. Cheers,

lump sum by gold and nice house

spend $100000 right away just to get rid of the urges.

123,000,000.00 is alot of zero's...... 19 hours to go.

Whoever wins $123M (cash) and works it into banruptcy, will also take the $200M (annuity) and work it into a loosing scenario. The opposite is true if they make money - or stay even.

They are going to do what they are going to do. As the members of the LP have proven, those with strong wills are going to think and do what they want, no matter what other opinions are provided. Those who are not strong willed, will still be thinking about options years from now.