If you won a $1 billion lottery jackpot tomorrow, would you know what to do?

In this episode, Powerball winner and host Timothy Schultz sits down with financial advisor and sudden-wealth expert Robert Pagliarini to break down the exact steps to take before you cash your winning ticket.

They discuss how to protect yourself, who to call first, how to choose between lump sum and annuity, and the emotional roller coaster that comes with life-changing money.

In this episode:

• What to do in the first 24–72 hours after realizing you’ve won
• How to protect your ticket and keep your win private
• Who should be on your sudden-wealth “team” (attorney, tax pro, financial advisor)
• Lump sum vs. annuity for a billion-dollar jackpot
• Where to put the money and how to think about investing
• How to handle people asking for money
• The psychological side of sudden wealth and how to stay grounded

Timothy Schultz won the Powerball jackpot in 1999 and regularly interviews other lottery winners, experts, and people with extraordinary stories on his show Lottery, Dreams & Fortune. This conversation is essential listening for anyone who plays the lottery — or anyone who’s ever imagined what they’d do if they won big.

Connect with Timothy:

Website: https://www.timothy-schultz.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/timothyschultz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialtimothyschultz

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@TimothySchultz

If you play the lottery, always play responsibly.

Mentioned in this episode:

Youtube: LOTTERY, DREAMS AND FORTUNE Podcast

What really happens behind the scenes when a Powerball jackpot hits $1 billion?

In this episode, Timothy Schultz interviews Melanie Mesaros, an official spokesperson for the Oregon Lottery, who breaks down what actually occurs when the jackpot reaches historic levels. She explains how winning tickets are verified, why some winners’ names are not released immediately, what surprises people most after a major win, and how the lottery prepares for massive public interest during record rollovers.

They discuss common myths about lottery play, how odds really work, what happens the moment a winning ticket is scanned, and what new winners should expect when they walk into the lottery office.

This conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look from inside a state lottery — delivered in a calm, factual, and accessible way for anyone who has ever imagined winning big.

Lottery, Dreams & Fortune is hosted by Powerball winner Timothy Schultz. New episodes feature lottery winners, experts, and guests exploring intuition, manifestation, sudden wealth, and the mysteries behind extraordinary luck.

In this powerful episode of Lottery, Dreams & Fortune, Timothy Schultz speaks with Jim, who shares the unforgettable true story of how his family unknowingly destroyed a $1 million winning game piece during the Super Bowl in 1992.

At just eleven years old, Jim watched his family celebrate what they believed was a life-changing win—only to slowly realize the ticket was gone. What followed, he says, felt “like someone had passed away.”

This is not an episode about strategy or advice. It’s a deeply human conversation about loss, perspective, and how moments of luck can transform into lifelong lessons. Jim reflects on how the experience shaped him, how his family coped with the aftermath, and what he hopes others take away from a story that still surprises people decades later.