Days after the winning numbers were announced in the $425 million Powerball jackpot, the lone winner has yet to make his or herself known.

Some are wondering if the individual is even aware that they have a winning ticket. God forbid they accidentally threw it away!

Many lottery participants dream of standing on a stage with a big old smile on their face as they hold a giant check for a huge amount of cash. It could be that the presently unknown winner has no such ambition. They may even lack a desire to rush to claim their prize.

Not rushing to claim a huge jackpot prize might actually be the smartest thing a person could do.

First, for all the glitz and glamour of winning the lottery, it is an existence that is filled with tragedy. Some jackpot winners wind up worse off financially than when they started and a number of past winners or their families come to regret the “magic ticket” ever finding its way into their lives.

Powerball winner, still unknown, likely getting over shock, lottery spokesman says http://t.co/URWwzwxrBE

— L.A. Times: L.A. Now (@LANow) February 21, 2014

"Powerball winner wants to keep it a secret" why is this a headline?

— cocoa-cholera (@planetarium3030) February 22, 2014

Second, the above is usually what happens to those star-struck winners who leap head first without stopping to look ahead or plan.

Going from living paycheck to paycheck to a hundred million dollar existence is quite a leap. A person has to know what they intend to do. “Go shopping” seems like an obvious answer, but it’s hardly the only answer or most sensible.

Lottery winners are advised to stop and take the time to plan out what their future life will be like, get reliable financial advice, and avoid a life of massive spending sprees.

The need for calm and sensibility is another reason to stay anonymous. After all, once everyone who ever knew you becomes aware that you are suddenly worth hundreds of millions of dollars, they will be more eager than you to spend your lottery prize.

This is why individuals are often encouraged to accept their prize as anonymous and quietly move on with their lives…and let as few people in on this brave new world of theirs as possible.

One can only hope these thoughts have crossed the mind of California’s newest mega millionaire. Otherwise a few years from now, we’ll be reading about yet another jackpot win gone horribly wrong.

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