Have you ever heard the phrase, “if I could just win the lottery”? Or have you ever asked yourself how many people try their luck at lotteries and fixed odds betting? It is estimated that 1 in 10 people in South Africa wager/ bet on some form of lottery or fixed odds betting. This means that there are hundreds and thousands of people hoping they could beat the odds and win big. Now, have you ever wondered why so many people try their luck at these games of chance? That maybe there is more to winning on a major lottery or fixed odds game than just to buy a mansion, private island or a luxury car?
If you do not believe that trying your luck on a game of chance could change your life, here are some inspirational stories of ordinary people who took a chance on a lottery and changed their lives and the lives of others in many ways…
Losing a loved one but saving millions
In 2013, a Canadian man by the name of Tom Crist, won $40 million (R667 million in South Africa) in the Canadian national lottery and instead of using the cash to splurge on an expensive house or car, he donated all his winnings to a Cancer Charity. Tom had lost his wife of 44 years to cancer, two years earlier and wanted to pay tribute to her by donating his windfall to help save lives.
A life changing win for a mother of five
In an incredible real-life story about ‘the laws of attraction’, a woman in California changed hers and her family’s lives forever. After losing her brother in a fatal car accident, Cynthia Stafford, took in his five children. Times were tough as she looked after and supported her father financially too. In 2007, as it became more difficult to support her large family, Cynthia dreamt about winning the $112 million lottery jackpot (R1,8 billion). Cynthia had been focused on winning $112 million since 2004, nothing less and nothing more. So, for three years Cynthia dreamt of winning this massive amount – she used ‘methods of attracting luck’ such as sleeping with the number on a note under her pillow, meditating on winning a $112 million jackpot, and visualizing how it would feel once she won. In addition, she bought lottery tickets a few times a month and picked whichever numbers came into her head at that moment. Her belief in the ‘laws of attraction’ and her ‘never give up’ attitude paid off in 2007 as she won the $112 million lottery jackpot. With her major win, Cynthia was able to support her family financially and she is now the CEO of Queen Nefertiti Productions and serves on the Board of Directors of The Geffen Theatre in Los Angeles.
Making your city a better place for all
When a New Jersey family of eight won the $429 million Powerball jackpot (R7,1 billion), they decided to start a foundation aimed at giving back to their community. Pearlie Mae Smith, mother of the winning family had raised her seven children to always give back to the community and those less fortunate. The Smith Family Foundation which they established with their lottery winnings is aimed at providing funding for grassroots organizations who were working to improve the lives of people in their hometown of Trenton, New Jersey. This includes, neighbourhood development, education, supporting the youth and families of their city and much more.
Feeling inspired? Stop dreaming and start visualising your major lottery win.
Place your bets on LottoStar’s UK Lottery Plus draw and you could be celebrating a payout of over R1,3 billion.
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