What Would YOU Do With The $500 Million Mega Millions Jackpot?

So, the Mega Millions jackpot is now up to $500 million bucks, and I can't stop thinking of all the ways I would spend it! I mean, seriously, what WOULD I do with that much money? What would YOU do? Before we let our heads fill with visions of houses and boats and camps and cars and...let's take a Debbie Downer pill and see what the odds of winning actually are.

The odds of getting struck by lightning are about one in 280,000, according to the National Lightning Safety Institute. The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot for the next drawing Friday are estimated at about one in 176 million, according to lottery officials. So, that means means you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning more than 500 times! But hey, someone has to win this thing, right? Your chances are just as good as anyone's.

I've often day dreamed about riding around Lafayette, trying to find the perfect house, then walking up to the front door, ringing the doorbell, and saying "How much will it cost me to buy this house and be able to move in a week?"

How fun would it be to pay everything off that you owe all at once? To just erase the slate? The Mega Millions jackpot estimated cash payout is $359 million, so I think you'd be able to handle those silly bills.

Another thing I think about is trying maintain anonymity. You definately wouldn't catch me on t.v. accepting the check for $500 million. I would try to keep it as quiet as I possibly could. Obviously, friends and family would know because I would quietly take care of them, but I would try to keep it very hush hush. Or, at least I think I would try...not really sure you know, because I've never won $500 million before.

I think one of the biggest problems I would have would be deciding which charitable organizations to help. With that much money, you would have to give back, but how can you choose? I would just start a foundation that would help many different charities. Give a little here, give a little there, and hopefully do a ton of good for Acadiana.

Ok, now time to stop dreaming and get back to work! If I'm not here Monday morning, you can bank I won this Mega Millions thing...