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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 21, 2005 Take it from a jackpot winner — it’s best to have a plan By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Lottery losers may have all kinds of suggestions for the winner of Wednesday’s record Powerball jackpot. A few of them might even be printable. But for real wisdom about dealing with a $340 million windfall, Brad Duke of Star, Idaho, has some first-person advice. Duke, 33, won a $220 million Powerball prize in May and took home a lump sum of about $84 million after taxes. In the months since, the Gold’s Gym manager said he’s learned a lot about wealth, power, character — and women who leave marriage proposals in his mailbox. In a telephone interview Thursday, he offered tips to help someone coping with an influx of lottery loot: Get it verified. Duke checked his winning ticket at a gas station. Bad idea, he said. "As soon as the girls behind the counter knew it was a winning ticket, they actually had a hard time giving me the ticket back," Duke recalled. Advertisement He recommends that the winner sign the ticket immediately and take it directly to lottery headquarters for validation. Get a plan. Once Duke got over his disbelief, he realized he’d need help handling so much money. It was a month before he told anyone besides his father and his sister about the jackpot. During that time, he hired a publicist, a tax accountant and reaffirmed his deal with a lawyer. "Before I came forward, I wanted to have a clear plan of what I wanted to do," said Duke, who announced his winnings on national TV. Build your wealth. Duke took the lump-sum payment to use in investments he hopes will earn 18 percent annually. He plans to generate $1 billion within 15 years to create long-term wealth for his extended family. Protect yourself. The influx of hard-luck stories started immediately, said Duke, who has received more than 600 pleas and still gets 15 requests a week. "They range from ‘Help me pay off my car’ to ‘I need $250,000 for surgery’ to pretty well-put-together business plans," Duke said. He tells people every request has to be vetted by his financial team. "There are the ones that I’ll personally respond to," he said. "Some of them are a farce. Some are just straight-up lies. Others might be an option." Know your friends. The jackpot didn’t affect Duke’s relationships with his close family members and longtime friends. Some acquaintances, however, have been a different story. "What I realized is that people around you will change long before you do," Duke said. Know yourself. Duke still drives the same car and lives in the same house as he did before lottery luck struck. His few lavish expenditures have included a trip to Tahiti for friends and their families and a $10,000 mountain bike for himself. "Keep your sense of value that you have now," Duke advises the new winner. "I still live my life as if I was making just a little bit more money than I did before." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail Take it from a jackpot winner � it�s best to have a plan ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Investments & Loans Advertisement s