Check list of things you need to make sure you do if you hit the powerball Jackpot! HIDE! lol no thats not really on the list but you wouldnt find me for a couple weeks. Seriously though, if you hit the powerball here are a few things you seriously need to do according to CBSNEWS.com,
(MoneyWatch) With the Powerball jackpot swelling to $500 million, the largest in the lottery's history, ticket holders around the country are mulling a common, if almost impossibly fanciful, daydream: What do I do if I win?
First, the grim truth: The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are roughly 1 in 175 million. To put that into perspective, the chances of getting hit by lightning in your lifetime is 1 in 5,000, according to Tim Norfolk, a University of Akron mathematics professor who teaches a course on gambling.
Of course, the jackpot has already defied the odds by rolling over 16 consecutive times without anyone hitting the big prize. And even with a reduced up-front, lump-sum cash value of $327 million, even the most jaded are tempted to purchase a $2 ticket. The previous biggest jackpot was $365 million in 2006, which was won by eight employees in a Nebraska meatpacking plant.
1) Read the rules on the ticket and on the lottery's website. Sign your name on the back of the ticket, unless the rules forbid it. Then make a copy of it and put it in a safe deposit box. Don't feel compelled to tell the world just yet. Try to refrain from telling anyone beyond your immediate family. You can take your time before contacting the lottery authorities, but be aware that ticket expiration periods vary from state to state, from 90 days to one year. The back of your ticket will likely detail the expiration period for your state.
