And the $540 million winner is...

People nationwide are indulging in a little greed as the Mega Millions lottery officially promises a $540 million payout. Because of the big payday coming, CNN asked people what they would do with the money.

• I would find the best medical facility in the world and have stem cell work done for my son in hopes that he would then be able to learn how to talk and maybe even walk! I would make sure that no matter how long he lived, he would have the best quality of life possible to fit his needs.
• 1). Buy a huge piece of land in the desert Southwest.
2) Build a nice home on it.
3) Build a VAST garage and complete workshop.
4) Build my own private racetrack on the land.
5) Collect a vast array of sports cars and motorcycles.
6) Spend the rest of my days trying to improve my lap times.
• I'd start my own TV show where people would compete for my money. A million-a-year for a prize? I could set up a long-running show called 'What Would you Do for $' lol
• I'd consult with a tax lawyer and accountant to get advice on the most prudent, tax-saving ways to handle [it[, put good chunk of it for myself, daughter and family members. I also plan on donating a good amount to worthy charities. I'd also use some of it to travel to foreign countries. I would definitely spend some time in Madrid so I can see my beloved Real Madrid games in person. Oh yeah, better add Spanish lessons to my bucket list.
• I would give all of it but one million to cystic fibrosis research and then offer one million to who ever can find a cure. It is so hard to watch a 5-year-old go though so much that you can't imagine. I want her to live and breathe.
• Pay off all my debts. Pay for all the student loans my kids got stuck with, so they can start with a clean slate, buy a lovely house on Mount Desert Island in Maine, leave Texas in the dust, and FINALLY get to travel and see places like Bora Bora, the Australian Outback, Russia, the English countryside, the Egyptian pyramids, etc. Hire a financial team, and set up numerous scholarships for deserving kids to go to school.
• Pay off all my debt. Set $10 million aside for me and my daughter. Before cashing ticket, I would put it in a safety deposit box for one month and call Dr. Drew or Oprah and let them follow me with cameras to get a feeling about my friends. Then cash the ticket and let them document how horrible people get when they know you got money. I would take the rest of the money and buy houses and give one house a week away until the rest of the money is gone.
• I would move to Queenstown, New Zealand, immediately, buy ton of large format photography stuff and stock up on film.
• I tell you one thing, there'll be an awful lot of beer around.
• I would buy a really big yacht and rent a couple of pretty ladies then tour the entire world.
• I'd buy a large chunk of land and have a custom-designed house. Big, but not too big. I'd build a large barn and plow a big garden. I'd get plants and animals that I could raise myself and eat. Cows, pigs, chickens and even ostriches ... as weird as that may sound. I'd probably hire high school kids who wanted part time work to do the maintenance around the farm when I didn't feel like it. Maybe even try and start a business. I'd also give a lot of the money away to my friends. In a way, it would be like we all hit the lottery.
• I'd buy Congress, I hear they are for sale!
• I would hire a team of telemarketers to call politicians, survey companies and charities at dinner time just to say Hi.
• Lotteries are a tax on the mathematically challenged.
• First, get a nice plot. I'd be dead in six months or less.
• I'd Scrooge McDuck in (it). Swimming in gold coins = winning

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Of course, some lotteries are scams (though some would argue that all lotteries are scams). The Federal Trade Commission offers the following advice to recognize these scams.

You can also sign up with the Indiana Attorney General's office to stay abreast of new scams. Click here to sign up.