You won $500 million on the Powerball lottery. So how much is REALLY yours to keep?

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So your multi-million dollar win is sitting in the bank and you're pretty happy about everything right now. But then your finance manager taps you on the shoulder. "I think there's something you should know..." she says. Forbes.com looks into a winner's money and comes out with some surprising options for you.

After $188 Million Powerball Lottery winner Marie Holmes bought a new home with her winnings, she had big problems

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Marie Holmes bought a new home not realizing its history   Photo: File compilation

Marie Holmes had many problems after she won $188 Million in North Carolina’s Powerball lottery in 2015.

She made many reckless decisions that left her drained both financially and emotionally.

Then Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) host Iyanla stepped in to help. Did it work out?

The program, "Yamla Fixed My Life," is not your typical reality TV.

Personal growth

It focuses on healing and personal growth. The show chose to tell Marie's story because it resonates with many who believe that winning the lottery is the ultimate solution to their problems.

However, as Marie's experience shows, this isn't always the case.

One interesting aspect of Marie's story is about her living on a plantation, a place with a lot of historical significance, especially for a Black woman.

This home situation affected her emotional state, showing that some struggles are beyond the reach of money.

Real life support

The creators of the show emphasized that their work goes beyond entertainment; it's about real support and transformation.

  • They are dedicated to helping their guests through their challenges, on and off the camera.

  • They realize the importance of self-awareness and mental well-being, regardless of one's financial status.

Marie's journey highlights a crucial lesson: self-identity and personal well-being are essential. Without these, wealth alone cannot improve her self-perception or life satisfaction.

The show encouraged its audience to find value in personal growth and self-care.

Host Iyanla says Marie's story, from a Walmart employee to a lottery winner, teaches us that some of life's most important treasures are not those we can buy, but those we find within ourselves.

Unemployed man, 39, dived into a dumpster for a WINNING torn-up scratchers lottery ticket

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It was not how Lorenzo Juarez planned to spend his 39th birthday - searching a dumpster for pieces of thrown-away scratch-off tickets after the buyer had an argument with the lottery store.

But Lorenzo was convinced that there was money left on the card. And he wanted to claim it. Luckily for the Stockton, California resident the dive turned out to have a happy ending. Guess how much the original owner threw away? Take a look!

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