Premarital assets here... I'm not worried! lol. I'll tell the story, but won't share how much I won.
Last year on June 18, I went out to eat with my parents for Father's Day. I got up to go use the bathroom and on the way back, gave the waiter $100 towards our meal because even on Father's day, I knew my dad would insist on paying. So finally the bill comes and it's a very small amount and my Dad sees the $100 credit. He wondered who it was and thought it could have been his best friend, whose son-in-law owns the restaurant. The waiter finally tells him it's me. So my Dad gets mad and says there's no way I'm paying. He takes $150 ($50 more than the $100 I put towards the bill) and tosses it across the table, refusing to take it back. He tells me to go buy some groceries with it. Mind you, I'm 32 at the time, a law school grad, and working at a law firm so I didn't really need the money, but that's just how my Dad is- successful and extremely generous always.
The next day, a Monday, I go to the gym and do my usual workout. For some reason, I was craving a Publix sub. You Floridians know this feeling. I go in and buy two cartons of egg whites, a roast beef sub, and a gallon of milk. I pay with the $50 bill I received the day before and wouldn’t have had any cash but for my attempt at a nice gesture for my parents. With the change, I buy $10 worth of quick picks. When the lady gave me them, I said to her, “What a waste of money.” I NEVER play. Maybe the 4th time in my life.
I came home and put the ticket on my kitchen table because the drawing was two days later. That night, I put the ticket next to my phone and showered before bed, knowing that by the time I was out, the numbers would be picked. So I got out and Googled the winning numbers. I looked across as almost all the numbers matched. I then Googled how much I won and thought the Forrest Gump quote of, “That’s good. One less thing.” I didn’t scream, shout, cry, or call anyone. I just looked up the process of how to claim and went to sleep. I drove to the lottery office the next day. They cut me a check within a few hours of getting to the office. Pretty cool experience.
Life changing amount of money?
I was in Vegas for work like 10 years ago, just off the strip and was having a smoke waiting for my boss to come down to the lobby so we could head out. I put a dollar in a penny slot and was just doing minimum bet over and over to kill time. I kept hitting the button and was turned to the side people watching. I heard the machine start making noise and out of no where I was up $8 on a single penny bet, I laughed and took the ticket and walked away. It wasn't until a few hours later I realized just how much money I could have made if I bet a dollar. I was only making like $13/hr back in that day so that actually bummed me out.
I had a similar situation playing video poker in Cripple Creek where I scored a royal flush on a .05 bet. That was like $16 though.
I never bet big so I never win big. I just play the smallest amount I can get away with to get a beer from the bartender or waitress and once I do I move to another place to get another free(ish) beer.