First, I'd sign the ticket!

Second, I'd go to my bank and put the ticket in my safe deposit box.

Next, I'd take every dime from my savings, call the folks that know me best and tell them they've got 1 hour to meet me at the airport. Since these will be the people that know me best, they'll know when I make that call, to not ask questions, just get their asses to the airport, post haste!

Then, we'd go to Hawaii for a month or so and live it up, while the press gets over looking for the winner.

Once I'm convinced the press has moved on to something else. I'd return, go see my accountant and lawyer with a detailed plan on what to do with my money.

Then, we'd go to the bank, get the ticket, go to lottery commission, get the check and begin disbursement.

Trust funds for my children and future grandchildren.
Payoff the house I live in now and give it to my sister along with some cash.
Pay for my nephew's education
Donate to my favorite charities and set up several scholarship funds
Travel the WORLD for a year or two
Come back to the States, build my dream multimedia production studio and my dream house, I'm not sure where yet but somewhere fabulous for sure
Buy a killer screenplay and turn it into blockbuster movie
Make more millions, win several Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and People's Choice awards.

Once I had the necessary clout, connections and backing...I'd finance, produce and direct...the UNAUTHORIZED Prince biography!
Prince
[Edited 3/29/08 20:43pm]

pay off my parents debts, my nieces tuition, give something to my brother and probably my best friends, buy a plot, then cut all ties to everyone and disappear.

JustErin said:

As much as I hate agreeing with Erin, I'd do just the same.

I'd hire a good financial adviser and attorney.

Pay all obligations currently held by me and my family members and friends (including paying off mortgages).

Create an endowment for the runaway shelter where I work so we NEVER have to write a freakin grant again!

Resign my position (this would create a full time job for someone else) but remain in a technical assistant, volunteer cpapcity (I love the teens I work with)

Give a large amount of money to Dr. Bart Meadows. He is a local veterinarian who is the only one who will respond at all hours when an animal is in distress. He could use it in any way he would like.

Buy a Trader Joes franchise and open it within a mile of where ever I decide to build my new house on a beach.

Build a recording studio for my best friend and a pottery studio for me.

Give a lot of money to the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit

Take six of my favourite orgers on a world cruise on Bjork's tall Ship.
We would leave from New York after brunch with David Bowie and Iman.

Invest in Green Companies and support the World Wildlife Fund.

This is a beginning ~ have to think on it a bit more.

1) Keep my mouth shut and tell (almost) nobody

2) Hire a lawyer to explore setting up a trust or some other entity to claim the prize on my behalf, thereby keeping my name confidential

3) Perhaps in connection with #2, make arrangements with financial professionals to turn my jackpot into a lifelong stream of income

4) (Possibly) leave the country... maybe just head a few hours north and settle in Vancouver, Canada

5) Spend a lot of time thinking about what to do with my fortune

*Pay off my mortgage
*Buy a waterfront property
*Buy a boat (large)
*Invest
*Look after my kids (extra courses, education, classes, hobbies etc) ...provide for their future and make sure they are educated about money and investment.
*TRAVEL