Lottery tycoon tells the story of seven years of life after winning the jackpot

Wealth ≠ Happiness

An 18.5 million dollar jackpot brought an end to his blue-collar lifestyle, allowing him to instantly own mansions, luxury cars, and other material pleasures. However, seven years later, he realized that he wasn't as happy as he was before winning the lottery, finding that the troubles brought by wealth far outweighed the joy.

One of his closest friends even had the audacity to ask for cash gifts every New Year, "as if collecting a monthly salary from me."

The latest issue of Chicago magazine in the United States tells the story of a small lottery player's life after winning, with the winner using his own experience to tell people: getting rich overnight doesn't necessarily bring happiness. He said his experience should serve as a warning to those who daydream about striking it rich.

Buying Eight Mansions at Once, Donating Millions to Charity

Alex, who lives in Burbank, a suburb of Chicago, is a loyal small lottery player. He placed bets four times a week, spending only $5 each time. September 12, 2000, was a day that changed his fate. The soon-to-retire truck mechanic bought a lottery ticket at a nearby grocery store. At 8 p.m., when the numbers were drawn, he and his wife Ursula were delighted to find that all six numbers matched—they had won the grand prize! After taxes, Alex and his wife received a staggering 18.5 million dollars, which was the second-highest single-ticket lottery prize in Illinois history.

After winning, Alex immediately purchased eight houses in Westmont Valley, keeping two for himself and his wife, one for each of their four children, and one for each of his wife's two sisters. However, over the past few years, due to strained relations with three of his sons, he sold all three houses out of anger. After his wife passed away, he sold another mansion last August, measuring 929 square meters with 16 rooms, for $2.2 million to NBA New York Knicks star Richardson. His daughter Cindy and her husband Tom’s house deserves special mention. They are both fans of Elvis Presley, so they spent $1.5 million replicating Elvis' home, which has now become a tourist attraction in Westmont Valley, drawing many fans, impersonators, and visitors.

Currently, Alex resides in a mansion spanning 390 square meters, filled with toys and figurines collected by his wife. The basement has been converted into a small home theater, with a screen covering an entire wall and nine luxurious seats. Alex's prized possessions are parked in the garage: a 1956 Ford convertible, a 1934 Mercedes-Benz, and the latest extended Lincoln. Additionally, there are over a dozen vintage cars, including a 1922 Ford Model T and a 1958 Bentley.

Alex himself does not enjoy flaunting his wealth. He dresses casually, is friendly, and remains a devout Roman Catholic—qualities that have not changed since his win. For him, the most wonderful thing about having money is the ability to help others. Over the years, he and his wife have donated millions of dollars to charity. Alex is a die-hard fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team. Since 2001, the couple began donating to the White Sox charity fund. During games, whenever a White Sox player hit a home run, he would donate $100 to the fund. By the end of the 2006 season, he had donated $137,200.

Queue of People Trying to Exploit Him, Neighbors Look Down on the Newly Rich

From the moment they won, they became targets. They started receiving requests for help from strangers. Relatives they hadn't seen in years suddenly reappeared to reconnect. What chilled Alex to the bone was that even old friends came to exploit him. "After winning, I lost many friends. Friendship shouldn't be tainted by money, but some people just see you as a cash cow." One of his closest friends even had the audacity to demand cash gifts every New Year, "as if collecting a monthly salary from me."

Alex found it hard to refuse his friends' requests. He injected funds into several friends' companies to help them get back on their feet; if relatives borrowed money, he would hand over thousands of dollars without hesitation; sometimes he would send money to strangers asking for help. "Many people swear they will repay the money, but I don't dare to hope. Probably my chances of winning again are higher than their chances of repaying me!"