But really, it’s a one-time shot to change your life forever, so you better not screw it up. Gambling experts recommend that winners consult with tax professionals, establish a list of goals outlining what to spend it on, and what to invest it in.

Jerry and Marge Selbee own a convenience store in Evart, a small town in the piney midlands of Michigan. One day, they read about a new state lottery game called Winfall.

Pick 6

It’s tempting, isn’t it? A bright, beeping, bellowing jackpot machine: in your hands, flashing, ringing, applauded by pinstriped grandees in the crowd. If you were expecting to win big, New York City beckons; if you’re collecting your cooked-up winnings, Angie’s Diner is your destination. But what happens when dreams really do come true?

When John first placed a bet for just a few pounds on a slot online, it was not only just a chance to win prize money. Thanks to the win, he could take a huge step forward and fulfil a lifelong dream of recording an album and inspiring others through his music.

What sets Pick6 apart is its precision and prognostication — just as important as who wins the game are who gets the first down, who runs the ball, and who kicks the field goal. As the app creator Darren Parker put it: ‘This isn’t DFS where you’re taking on the house – this is Pick6 where you’re taking on other people, so you feel like you’re actually making a choice. Your choice matters. I love that.’ Pick6 is a fundamentally new kind of sports betting – more interactive than television, and more participatory than the Roman Games were. It makes the fans feel uncannily and accordingly invested in the world of sports.

Pick 5

Every gambler dreams of hitting it big in Las Vegas. The bright lights, the deafening sirens and bells, and most of all the feeling of winning a life-changing sum of money. For many, this fantasy is just a pipe dream but for others, it’s actually become a reality.

Pick 5 (Quinto) is a five-digit numbers game drawn daily, with a prize won for matching two or three numbers of the five drawn plus the bonus ball (see Payout Structures below). Sarah claims to have been homeless and a single mother and to have turned to online gambling to try to boost her financial situation, emerging as a $2 million winner. She used her money to pay off her debt, buy herself a new house and ensure a future for her children.

Pick 4

Progressive (or ‘jackpot’) slot machines are perennial favourites among online gamblers for very good reason: few things cast the spell of riches quite as well as the fantasy of winning it all in a single spin. So it should hardly surprise that when one fortunate individual did just that, placing a $1.25 bet on a progressive jackpot online slot machine and winning $5 million, it instantly changed the course of his life. The sudden windfall allowed him to pay off debts, buy a house and secure the future of his family. He also decided to donate the full lump sum to a cancer charity in Calgary. Now that’s how to be a responsible winner.

Pick 3

Every gambler dreams of winning the jackpot on some slot machine with a progressive jackpot. A player winning Pick 3 lifechanging jackpot got to live the dream. The life-changing win paid off his debts, purchased a home, and guaranteed a secure future for the winner and his family. That wasn’t enough for him: not only did he take his life-changing win and live his dream, he shared his life-changing win by donating the lump sum (ie, tax-free in Canada) to a local cancer charity. His kids were completely behind him in this choice.

Pick 2

Everyone has fantasies about hitting the jackpot, backing the winning horse at the track or snagging the next IPO of the millennium. The term jackpot entered the English lexicon through 19th-century poker and had long since broadened in its meaning to denote any large gambling (or investment or other) payoff.

While luck does play a role when it comes to winning the jackpot, there are some simple rules you should follow to increase your chances. They range from effective bankroll management and smart game choice (you won’t win the progressive jackpot on the Monopoly game, will you?) to clever tips on how to join jackpot communities and share your secrets of successes with other players. You should avoid unnecessary costs, too. And, of course, never refuse to consult financial and legal experts who will help you to distribute your winnings and build the path to your new life.