'I wish I'd won a billion dollars' — not just $18.5M
Ten years after he and his wife won $64 million in the "Big Game" lottery, Alex Snelius wishes he'd won more money.
The 73-year-old Palos Heights man doesn't want to replace his 2001 Lincoln Town Car. Nor does he want a bigger home (he'd actually prefer something much smaller).
"I wish I'd won a billion dollars so I could keep everyone happy," said Snelius, a retired truck mechanic originally from Lithuania. Snelius opted for a single $18.5 million payment back in September 2000, rather than get 26 annual payments.
In the just-released movie "Lottery Ticket," rap artist Bow Wow plays a young man from the projects who must survive a three-day weekend after his greedy neighbors find out he's holding a winning lottery ticket.
Snelius said his windfall has been both a blessing and a curse — he has lost friends who borrowed money and never paid him back, and he says he has received "thousands" of requests from strangers who need cash for everything from house payments to fancy weddings. But when he has been able to, giving money away is the best part about winning the lottery, he said.
It's getting harder these days.
"I'm not completely broke," Snelius said last week. "I can survive. I had a lot of investments that didn't come through. The stock market went bad, but at my age, I don't care anymore. ... I feel sorry for all of those people who are filthy rich because they cannot take [the money] with them. You come with nothing, and you leave with nothing."
Before the money dwindled, he bought houses for all four of his children and eight other relatives to live in, including paying for a $1.4 million copy of Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in Palos Heights for his daughter and son-in-law.
"I spent money like it was running through your hands," Snelius said cheerfully.
Sometimes, Snelius would be in a store and watch as a cash-strapped parent had to tell a child there wasn't money to buy the thing the child wanted. Snelius said he was good at spotting a parent in genuine need. Snelius would reach into his wallet, fish out a $100 bill and hand it to the stunned parent.
"It's beyond imagination what a pleasure it is to give," Snelius said.
Before Snelius' wife died in 2004, the couple began donating money to White Sox charities.
"My wife was the biggest [Sox fan]," Snelius said.
Now, every time the Sox score a home run, those charities get $100 and announcer Hawk Harrelson mentions Ursula Snelius' name.
Snelius, who says he has used his winnings to buy a few cars through the years, prefers to drive his 10-year-old Lincoln Town Car.
"Whatever that sweetheart needs, I take care of her," he said.
Snelius says he'd like to sell his four-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot home if he could find a buyer. He says he wants to move back to Burbank, where he and his wife were living before they won the lottery.
"I wanted to see what it was like to live on the other side of the tracks," he said, referring to Palos Heights. "And now I want to go back to where I came from."
(Click to display full-size in gallery)
Wow!
I don't know if I would do any better managing my money if I won a jackpot, but I would be very very careful with "investments".
Hope this guy is OK.
I would like the opportunity to find out if I can mange the money tonite ............. I just scrape by, but I have been paying medical bills for 24 years and had my last full time job in 2001 and am now disabled. I do think that I could do better with more cash! Life goes on and I make do with what I have! After all, family is worth more than all of the money in the world!
Best of luck to all that play and to those who win!
I wouldn't mind scraping by on $18.5 million. Or tonight's $115 million jacjpot.
I'd hope you do better, too, Dpoly1. And with me in your entourage, I'd help you stay on track.
If I won, all those total strangers with their hands out would be told no. Homes for family? Mom and Dad, sure. Brothers and sisters? No. First, they have homes. Second, the homes they have are homes they can easily afford to maintain (anything bigger, and it would be a burden to pay the utilities, taxes, insurance, etc.) Any money I give them would be in the form of a cash gift (they can put to toward their mortgage, if they desire), but I guarantee you that it wouldn't be as much money as they think they deserve (for some people, there's not enough money in the world). Any money I give to charity, would be donated anonymously (his donations for when his team hits home runs is a great idea, but the resulting publicity would attract attention from beggars, thieves, and con-artists--publicity I'd rather do without). Sure, people'd hate me, but I'd much rather be known as a rich tighta$$ than a poor dumba$$.
Too bad about his stock market investments, but he was much too old to be fooling around with that. I checked Vanguard's Balanced Index Fund (an index of 60% US stocks and 40% US bonds). If you had invested prior to the crash of 2008, but rather than selling and fleeing the market you sat tight, you would now be almost entirely recouped on your investment (almost, but not quite--it was a big crash). Other balanced funds (like Wellesley), with a larger percentage invested in bonds, have entirely recouped their loses and are attempting to move on. It's all one big gamble, but when you're in your 70s, you should probably have your gambling days behind you.
Dpoly1, I've been thinking. I think we should both skip having an entourage, also. Just more people to take care of.
they did a story about him on tv before. everything is relative no matter how much money you have. i barely know what i will do with the money if i win tonight. probably something sexual in nevada. arrgghh.
Sexual in Nevada thing sounds good..IF TIGGS WAS YOUNG!!!..
Hope he kept playing, maybe he'll get lucky again and be able to do what he seems to enjoy doing, giving it away.
again I can't fathom why any one would choose the lump sum over payments ......
we've seen arguements for both options .... but I still wonder
as for the greed of others : phooey !!
I remember this guy from one of those "Lottery Changed My Life" type shows. He seemed like a nice guy, but I remember thinking how silly that Graceland house was for his daughter and Son-in-law, but I like the idea of handing out the odd 100 dollar bill to a needy/struggling person.
Folks 18.5 millions is a lot of money but poor planning and spending can get rid of it. Compared to what I'm living on now, I could put that money into CDs or someother low risk investment and live off of the interest from that kind of money for the rest of my life, even in this economy.
My entourage will be my family ! The four of us would be enough ! ......... some for my siblings .......... if they accept it.
Some anonymous donations ......... some close friends on vacation ............
Let's go Mega Millions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh ........ almost forgot ........... I will not spend like the Government !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'd do my best to stay anonymous if I won but it sounds like he had a blast blowing through all that cash
what are you talking about? I only go to vegas for the excellent buffets
I remember when he won. I was praying to win the lottery so I could afford a liver transplant for my mother and a bone marrow transplant for my brother. They had insurance, unfortunately, it was the deny all claims insurance. They died in agony and bankrupted my whole family. The recession took my career that year and I lost everything. Ten years later, I am just recovering. I could have used a win like that. My family would still be alive. (probably) To hear of 1.4 million graceland copy just makes me sick. It's his money but it could be better spent. Lottery gods don't pick the people with the greatest need. I think I would do fine with even a small win. Heard too many sad stories of people going broke quickly. Remember, if you have a lot, don't spend the principle, just what your money earns and all your dreams can come true.
I used to feel the same way. After Jack Whittaker won that Powerball jackpot my family was going thru hard times...and I fel like the combination of the extreme stress and lack of medical insurance led to a realative having a severe heart attack. The doctors did all the could but we still lost our relative..... And we were still stuck with huge medical bills. All during the next few years while we have been stuggling to pay these bills while hearing stories of Jack Whittaker wasting Millions and getting Hundreds of thousand of dollars stolen from .... I couldn't help feeling a little angry...Why THIS GUY?? He's throwing away milllions on junk...When I would be sending my relative to the finest Doctor's in the country at the finest Heart Centers.... It's truely just dumb luck I believe.... If it's meant to happen it will if not then better luck next time....
LOL!!
What a nice man.
It's amazing how it's always the same story. The beast of a thousand hands that comes at you until there's nothing left. I'm afraid he'd still be broke even he'd won a billion.
I wish more winners would remain anonymous.
I would like the chance to scrape by with Friday's Mega Millions Gazillions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish it was possible to be anonymous ..... I'd slip out of town on the next train and or greyhound that'd be the last any one heard or saw of me
When you win a lottery jackpot it doesn't mean you have too solve everyones financial problems it's okay too give ONCE in awhile too someone REALLY in need but after that the bank is CLOSED!!!
tiggs no matter how you get there are still ways to stay in the sexual game if you know what i mean. LOL. it would be my splurge because as i get older there is not much i want anymore except the fore mentioned. that money could buy a lot of fake "i love yous" LOL. LIE TO ME. lol.
well the county outside of vegas is where the good buffets are at. LMAO. if you know what i mean. 20,000 would buy a lot of buffets of the sort i want. lol. then i would go back to my quiet life of trying to win another jackpot so i can give to my kids. lol
at least i am being honest. lol.
I don't foresee myself winning anything beyond a 5 of 5 prize or few nor do I want to ( I live in a small town & I am always the sucker). I have the right kind of job--a motel clerk. I work with thieves, who do not sign for a package yet walk off with it knowing that the person who signed for it gets blamed for thievery; who when the drawer is over, conveniently fail to tell you and you have to pay when boss notices shortage and they are all so nice and friendly to your face. And not to mention the con artists that I often check in in one way or another. So I am used to getting lied to, cheated out of, and stolen from. Thats all I think people are, are liars & thieves.
But when I do; will do best to keep it underwraps & resign because of health problems because I do have health problems now. There is about two people I want to give to & I have no siblings, my mother is widowed & in good health.
When I win, the bank won't be open in the first place.
good idea I think I WILL DO the same
He seems to be a very generous man, but I wonder if he would have given away more money if he had won $1 billion and then dug himself into the same hole.
Also, does anyone know what that song they play in the trailer for "Lottery Ticket" is? I like that song but I have no idea what it is called or who sings it.
Hear hear!
Even if he did claim anonymous, he probably wouldn't be able to resist the allure of of giving to those in need which would have probably given away his win.
Mistakes:
Building a replica of Graceland
He even wishes that he was back where he originally came from.
i am going to guess the type of houses he bought for his children were a little over the top too.
Loaning out money....
Buying houses for 8 other relatives.
Paying for weddings
I can sympathize with seeing people not be able to buy things for their kids and wanting to help.....the question is how far do you go? I remember as a kid seeing schoolmates in the factory town where I lived not have a whole heck of alot to eat at lunchtime. My family struggled at times and my grandfather (grew up as a farmer) used to have lots of fruit trees (peaches, apples, pears, plums) Sometimes there was so much, he didn't know what to do with the yield. This was always a treat for me and we would talk about how I picked the fruit from the trees. I would bring extras with me in my lunch box and secretly give them to those that seemed like their family was struggling ( I didn't want to embarrass them, so I would tell them that I was full and didn't want it to go to waste. ) At 6 yrs old, I was very aware of how some families had more than others.....
The lottery winner could have easily made some type of monthly donation to a food bank to help his community... There has to be something that he could have done that would have helped alot of people while not blowing his fortune.....
To me a wedding is like buying a brand new car....a bad investment. Used car, justice of the peace wedding works for alot of people. Why pay for someone else's wedding?
I know sometimes that my posts may sound like I may be only it it for myself..... but if I want to do something for the greater good....I do have to look after myself in order to do that. If I went broke helping every Tom, Dick and Harry, it would cause me to feel like this guy. That's why I would want to have a professional team in place to take care of protecting the assets...and prolonging the wealth.
Plus a lot of painful and/or unenjoyable sexual viruses received ... so, be careful with your libido!
Stephi, for the same income, you could quit your job at the motel and take a job at a large retail store. Doing so soon would eliminate 95% of your listed job hassles and stresses; that is unless you enjoy suffering and stress. Make conscious efforts towards enjoying people again, your life will become more fun that way.
Well, he still has money, as the article didn't say that he dispensed of it all! I'm not sure why some LP members are assuming he's broke, unless they know something that the article didn't print.
Regardless, perhaps this widowed, sinior 2-digit multi-million dollar jackpot winner, should stay a week at the best hotel in Burbank and spend that week deeply entrenched in Burbank downtown life socializing, observing resident's interactions, and sightseeing. After all, the Burbank town may be different than when he lived there 10 years ago, and he may choose to investigate moving to a different town soon thereafter.
After these "research" trips, he may discover that all he really desires is to purchase a home that is half the size ... a 2000 sq ft. one-story home near the area he currently lives in.
I did a search on this guy....there is an article: "The 18 million headache" The guiy has his heart in the right place, but needed to use his head when it came to doling out money.
While Jack Whitaker had his faults, he "over-gave" to everyone, including the granddaughter. It seems this guy did the same thing minus the strip clubs.
I understand wanting to give money to those in need. Giving away too much and you become the one in need. Coupled with the death of his wife, I suspect loneliness played a part in his giving away of money.... It is a shame about his sons....but they had problems before, he should have set up trusts that would help them, not just give it away.
I love my sons, but they are too young to be given money.....at this point, they would want to buy every toy at the toy store and still come back for more......that is how kids get spoiled....then they begin to expect more.
He had friends that wanted to be on his annual payroll......He probably should have never given to them in the first place.
Money doesn't change you, it changes the people around you. You have to be smart enough to say "no" and to do the things necessary so that this "blessing" goes a long way. I do view it as a blessing, but not handled properly it becomes the "headache" described.
MC Hammer did the same thing tried too help his entire neighborhood on 30 mil and went bankrupt!! so whether you win money,inherit money or earn it as an entertainer manage it WISELY no matter what.
There will alway be needy people, no amount of money will ever eliminate them. There are needy people who thinks it's the duty of others to help them that never do anything to help themselves.
There's been several stories on him that have been posted here from what I recall and yeah at least that one kid and the in-law took advantage of his buying them a house as we saw in one of the "How the Lottery Changed My Life" episodes but at least he stopped before being completely broke. Speaking of that episodes, I don't recall anyone but them from his family appearing, can't remember if it was the man or woman who was his kid but seeing how crazy they went with their excessive Elvis shrine home I'm sure it didn't sit well with their siblings. Like what's been said, even if he had a billion dollars he would end up in the same place as they would have just wanted more, they always do. I doubt he paid for the wedding or any of the other absurd requests though publicizing himself up for that certainly didn't help with that, he probably gave into a lot of sob stories, legitimate or not. It didn't sound like he was totally broke or anything and he still owns his home so that's a plus, just the money train has run out of steam. Still it's another example of what will happen if you go into this with a soft heart and an in ability to say NO.
I agree with you regarding the suspicion of loneliness. I can't believe his own children use him the way they do. I like the fact that before his wife died, he and she were donating to legitimate charities. Perhaps things would be different, if his wife hadn't died. I'm worried about the Traveller type golddiggers out there who know how to play the 'I'm destitute help poor little me' organ like a pro in the presence of vulnerable people with good hearts but no direction.
tiggs no matter how you get there are still ways to stay in the sexual game if you know what i mean. LOL. it would be my splurge because as i get older there is not much i want anymore except the fore mentioned. that money could buy a lot of fake "i love yous" LOL. LIE TO ME. lol.
Havaball
Plus a lot of painful and/or unenjoyable sexual viruses received ... so, be careful with your libido!
I have asked via obtaining my lottery ticket, am daily visualizing and feeling the elation of my joyful jackpot win opportunities-laden lifestyle, and am allowing/opening the door to receive my share of the U.S.A. multi-state jackpot-win via the Illinois Lottery. I trust, know, and feel that I will receive it directly from The Universe soon!
starchild
that is what condoms are for.
From the OP:
"I wish I'd won a billion dollars so I could keep everyone happy," saidSnelius, a retired truck mechanic originally from Lithuania. Sneliusopted for a single $18.5 million payment back in September 2000, ratherthan get 26 annual payments."
It is impossible to keep everyone happy. Does he really think he would have handled $1 billion any better?
Particularly someone with your desire to point out the obvious! . Geesh I think the man meant he has good intentions with his good fortune and I am sure that it is very much wishful thinking for him to give away to make folks satsified. Even Walt Disney carried that dream thru his life and he sure as heck did touch ALOT of lives. Fiddle de dee to folks who dont dream and wish. At least this guy followed it thru with goodness and it didnt squander it on useless toys...Hats off to a goodhearted wishful outlook in life!
Bottom line for me is:
I like this guy.
He does have a big heart.
It sounds like he did get taken advantage of and I hope that others don't abuse his generosity.
I hope that he mends his relationship with his children...and that they recognize that they need help....It's the least they can do, their mother is gone.
Whatever his belief in religion is, I hope that he is fulfilled.
petergrfn,
Sorry to hear of your misfortunes. Our family has struggled through some tragedy during the last decade, so I can sympathize with you. Winning the lottery is that one dream we all share, but remember that our primary aim should be to subsist on what we can earn, not what we don't have. The company that insured your relatives should be exposed as frauds. It is hard enough to face the expenses and heartache of a family member's grave illness, much less having to deal with their underwriters 'bailing out' of their obligations. My wife accurately portrayed this current government push to hook our nation's citizens on gambling. She lived in Vietnam when she was growing up, and she understood the nature of big government. Sanctioned gambling is a harbinger of an eventual economic collapse. Notice how much the government 'confiscates' money from the jackpot amounts? It's just one more means for the publicly privileged (many of whom benefit from nepotism..) to soak us for each dime we earn, or win. I'll put it concisely: Imagine government as a vampire. Now imagine our earnings as blood. Then imagine our government's taxes, fees, fines, foibles (gambling, alcohol, tobacco and now pot) and funding as our veins and arteries. Now you got it!
He's a good-hearted man, God bless him.
I'd like to scrap by with just 18.5 measley million dollars. Boooo
I found it - it was "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder.