It’s an American pastime to sit around with family, friends, and coworkers contemplating just what you’d do if you won the lottery. With just hours before the winning numbers are drawn from the bubbling plastic sphere, we asked around the 5280 office to find out what our coworkers planned to do if their ticket read the right combination (hint: we might be hiring if someone wins). Here are some of our jackpot blueprints:


Geoff Van Dyke, Editorial Director: I’d make sure we tucked enough away for my boys to go to college with no worries. I’d plan some epic trips. I’d buy a (slightly) bigger house to better accommodate our growing sons. I’d give some money away, most likely to cancer research. And then I’d probably fund a nonprofit of some sort.

Robert Sanchez, Senior Staff Writer: Make sure I change my phone numbers and further diversify my investments.

Erin Skarda, Digital Editor: I would do boring things like pay off my mortgage and the debts of my family members, do household renovations, invest wisely, etc. I would also adopt a few children, and a lot of dogs, and donate generously. I would want to keep working, but definitely would take time off to travel the world. Other than that, I would buy a house in the mountains and a house somewhere tropical and maybe a quaint vineyard in France.

Spencer Campbell, Associate Editor: I would buy the retirement community my grandmother lived in and turn it into the Campbells’ version of Kennebunkport. There are two golf courses, a river for floating, a couple pools, and bingo on Wednesday nights. Visitors welcome.

Lindsey R. McKissick, Assistant Editor: I’d take a year to do adventures around the world with my family. I’d set my family up financially. I’d fund a ton of youth programming to get kids in the outdoors. Then, I’d buy a mountain ranch that sprawls further than I can see. It’d have a river for floating, a barn for dancing, and endless trails for hiking and mountain biking. And I’d build a giant tree house.

Lindsey Koehler, Deputy Editor: I’d quit my job, sell my house, throw all my winter clothes in the dumpster, buy a full wardrobe of bathing suits, and buy the house seen in The Thomas Crown Affair. Also: I would hire a full-time employee to bring me piña coladas on the beach.

Callie Sumlin, Assistant Food Editor: Not tell anyone (other than immediate family), continue working at 5280, and quietly invest in property and donate to charity. Oh, and I’m sure I’d plan a couple of bucket-list vacations, too.

Jerilyn Forsythe, Assistant Digital Editor: I want you to know that I actually Googled how much private jets cost to own and maintain. It turns out there is a lot of depreciation involved. (In my head, I’m a very fiscally responsible rich person.) That being said, I would hire a financial advisor, donate to numerous charitable causes, get my law degree, and pay off all my friends’ and family members’ mortgages and student loans. I would also travel the world for a year (or forever?), purchase properties in my hometown of Phoenix, New York City, and overseas, and seriously indulge my liquor cabinet and wine cellar. All of that is after I rent out a local venue and celebrate with a insanely epic party (you’re all invited!).

Sean Parsons, Assistant Art Director: Buy a private ski resort just for family, friends, and coworkers.

Jessica LaRusso, Copy Chief: I’d buy a nice portfolio of vacation homes—a ski house in Telluride, a Tuscany vineyard, a beachfront home on the Keys, a cabin in the woods somewhere, a place on Lake Michigan outside of Chicago—stock them with food and booze and big-kid toys, and then make a Google doc that my family and friends could use to reserve and use them for free.

Luc Hatlestad, Editor-At-Large: If I won I wouldn’t tell anyone for as long as possible and then would spend the rest of my life doing my best to not turn into a d-bag. And I’d get Fenwick (pictured) the awesomest cat tower ever. I would do every music- and sports-related bucket list thing I could think of. I’d also make a Godfather offer to the Monforts for the Rockies.

Daliah Singer, Senior Associate Editor: I’d quit my job and buy an around-the-world ticket and pay to have my friends and family meet me at each of the locations for an epic trip. I’d buy a sweet house in the Colorado mountains. And probably a regular house too at some point. And I would never ever tell the public that I’d won. (And, the more boring part: Investing smartly.)

What would you do if you won Powerball? Let us know in the comments.