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Most lottery winners make a beeline for luxury real estate, buying seven-bedroom mansions with koi ponds, glass walls, and garages that look like car museums. But one lucky Virginian decided to celebrate in a different way with a lawnmower with $155.6 million in his pocket. Not just any lawnmower. A zero-turn riding mower. Call it humble. Call it fun. After all, it’s a long way from the Hollywood Hills.
The anonymous winner of Virginia’s biggest jackpot—the $348 million Mega Millions hole—walked into the state lottery office, walked out with a lump sum, and made one wish: They planned to mow their lawn in style. That’s not a plotline built around my lottery dream home. In fact, all of HGTV shows banks house-hunting winners for multimillion-dollar properties—mountaintop estates in Colorado, beachfront retreats in Florida, or glamorous compounds in Texas. Do not push the mower across the driveway.
For reference, Edwin Castro, who won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in California in 2022, spent a portion of his cash on three mansions: a $25.5 million glass-box home in the Hollywood Hills, a $4 million Zen-inspired retreat in Altadena, and a $47 million, $47 million mansion with natural vines. That was all before he started stockpiling vintage Porsches. He can never touch a weeder again.
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But this Virginia winner? They are bucking the cliche. And ironically, that low-key decision might be a smarter financial move than buying a $40 million mega-mansion with maintenance costs chewing through millions annually. Real estate is still a top-tier wealth-building tool—but owning it and living in it are two very different games.
But here’s the twist: ditching the mansion can actually be a financially sound move.
Home ownership is one of the most powerful ways to build wealth. According to recent data from the Federal Reserve, the median homeowner has 43 times the net worth of the median renter. That asset gap isn’t just about asset value—it’s also about stability, appreciation, and the ability to leverage equity.
Unfortunately, home ownership has become a high-barrier dream for many. Mortgage rates are high, starter homes are rare, and even modest properties come with hefty down payments, bidding wars, and monthly payments that rival luxury rentals.
