Keller @ Large: Do You Really Want To Win Powerball?
BOSTON (CBS) - Have you bought your Powerball ticket yet?
If not, by the time sales close Saturday night, you may be the only person in America who hasn't. The stores will be packed Friday with people taking a flyer on the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history, $700 million or more.
$700 million.
Even the measly $300 million or so you'll be left with after taxes is a mind-boggling amount of money. But as you enjoy the game you get for your two bucks of mulling over how you'll spend your winnings, it might be worthwhile to ask yourself another question – do I even want to win it?
Don't laugh.
It's one thing to hit for a million, as somebody in Plymouth did Wednesday night when they hit the first five numbers at the Court Street Express Mart. The $500 grand they'll take home from that score will buy a nice house, put a couple of kids through college, and cover some nice trips, hopefully without making you a target for every leech and scam artist in the country, if not the world.
But if you're the $700 million winner, I hope you're happy with the friends you had before, because it's going to be hard to know if any of the many new friends you'll suddenly have are for real. And you may find even old friends treat you differently.
I also hope you're good at saying no, because you're going to have to say it a lot to people.
And remember what the Beatles said: money can't buy you love.
So good luck Saturday night, I guess.
Although maybe good luck doesn't mean hitting the big jackpot.
Listen to Jon's commentary:
