Mark Cuban’s tips for Mega Millions winners in Florida, Illinois?
Who is Mark Cuban? Billionaire investor best known as Dallas Mavericks owner and ‘Shark Tank’ star.
Mark Cuban’s surprising advice for Powerball winners went viral in 2016 during the first ever billion-dollar lottery jackpot − 10 years later as the search for the $1.04 billion Powerball and $803 million Mega Millions winners continue, it’s making a comeback.
In a story published Jan. 11, 2016, with his local newspaper the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Mavericks owner and “Shark Tank” star commented on one of the hottest trending stories at the time − the billion-dollar Powerball jackpot and who would win.
It was then that the billionaire Cuban offered his famous advice to the potential lottery winners: Don’t take the lump sum.
Hours after the Dallas Morning News story published, the billion-dollar jackpot rolled over one last time, with three winners from Florida, Tennessee and California in the next Powerball drawing for $1.586 billion on Jan. 13, 2016. Ironically, all three took the cash option.
What is Mark Cuban’s advice for Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpot winners?
Keep reading for more information.
What is Mark Cuban’s advice for Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpot winners?
These tips for lottery winners came from billionaire Mark Cuban in a 2016 story that first appeared online from the Dallas Morning News. That story was repurposed from several news ouetlets at the time and since, including a September 2025 update from dallasnews.com:
- Hire a tax attorney.
- Don’t take the lump sum. Choosing the annual payments might prevent a lottery jackpot winner from spending all the money right away.
- If you weren’t happy yesterday, you won’t be happy tomorrow. Money won’t buy happiness. However, a 2016 CBS News story about Cuban’s lottery tips states, “if you were happy yesterday, you are going to be a lot happier tomorow. It’s money. Life gets easier when you don’t have to worry about the bills.”
- If (and when) they ask for money, tell your friends and relatives no. “If you are close to them, you already know who needs help and what they need,” the CBS News story says. Adds Cuban: Feel free to help some … and know “no one needs $1 million for anything. No one needs $100,000 for anything. Anyone who asks is not your friend.”
- Lastly, the “Shark Tank” shark and billionaire investor told reporters that lottery winners don’t become smart investors when they win a jackpot and cautioned against making investments. Rather, put the winnings in the bank and live comfortably, according to the CBS News story. One “will sleep a lot better knowing you won’t lose money.”
Cuban also offered a bonus tip for lottery winners in the 2016 dallasnews.com story: “Be nice. No one likes a mean billionaire.”
In the Tuesday, July 28, 2026, $800 million Mega Millions drawing, Florida Lottery officials reported the winner bought a ticket from a gas station in Bradenton, Florida, near the Tampa area. It was worth $803 million, the grand total after final ticket sales were factored in.
Wawa, 14510 State Road 70 E, Bradenton, Florida, sold the winning ticket and received a lottery commission. The winning numbers for the Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, were 34-48-49-59-70 and the Mega Ball was 12. The winner can choose between the advertised $800 million annuity or an estimated $344.2 million cash option before taxes, Mega Millions and Florida Lottery officials state.
As of Friday, Aug. 21, the Florida Lottery states the jackpot is “unclaimed at this time.”
If the winner wants a one-time lump sum from the Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Mega Millions drawing for $803 million, they’ll have to move fast: To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it. So to claim the cash, the $803 million Mega Millions winner has until Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, or 60 days from Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
Prizes from the Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. Rules for cash or annuity vary in different states. For the annual payments, the $803 million Mega Millions winner has until Sunday, Jan. 24, 2027.
Who won $1.04 billion Powerball drawing in Illinois on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026?
Soon after the 11 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, Powerball drawing for $1 billion, lottery officials noted online that a winner in Illinois matched all the numbers. On Thursday, Aug. 13, the Illinois Lottery revealed the winning ticket was purchased in Quincy, Illinois, and that final ticket sales had pushed the total to a whopping $1.04 billion.
The estimated cash option for the Wednesday, Aug. 12, pot was $450.5 million, according to Powerball online. Wednesday’s winning numbers were 4-26-66-67-69 and the Powerball was 9. Power Play was 2x.
As of Friday, Aug. 21, the $1.04 billion Powerball prize remains unclaimed, according to a check on Powerball and Illinois Lottery online. Though someone in Illinois nabbed the golden ticket, several other states had second-tier prizes in that big Powerball jackpot drawing. A Florida ticket was one of four, joining those bought in Arizona, California and North Carolina, that matched 5 for $1 million prizes. A bigger win went to a Massachusetts ticket which matched 5 plus the Power Play for a $2 million prize. (The $1 million secondary Powerball win from Florida also remains unclaimed.)
Lianna Norman and Jennifer Sangalang.are trending reporters for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida, covering pop culture, lotteries, rocket launches, Florida wildlife, breaking news and more. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This content is sourced from www.heraldtribune.com and is shared for informational purposes only.
