The Offbeat Ways 4 Lottery Winners Spent Their Cash

Green Island’s new $250,000 spray park at the Paine Street Park, New York was built with a donation from State Lottery winners John and Linda Kutey in honor of their parents. The Kuteys donated $200,000 to construct the spray park. John Kutey was one of seven employees who cashed in a $319 million winning Mega Millions ticket in 2011. His share was $28.7 million.

Photo: Will Waldron/Times Union

A Florida resident and town native who bought a winning ticket in the largest single jackpot in American lottery history, offered to donate $2 million to repair Schenck High School’s roof.

84-year-old Gloria MacKenzie collected a lump sum of $370.9 million that came to a total of $278 million after taxes.

Photo: Colin Hackley | Reuters

In 2008, Jay Vargas became the youngest Powerball winner at age 19. After opting for a $17 million payout, Vargas combined his two loves -beautiful women and wrestling - to create the TV show Wrestlicious. He packed up his millions and moved to Tampa Bay, fulfilling his dream of working in the wrestling business with a wild new TV show.

Colin and Chris Weir, a British couple, snagged the highest jackpot in the country's history of 161 million pounds (almost US $265 million). They used their money to fund many good deeds, have also helped a promising young Scottish tennis player Ross Wilson (above) get training, funded several athletic improvement projects and paid for the refurbishment of a historic paddle steamer. PHOTO