RACINE, Wis. — On a date often deemed unlucky, Friday the 13th could actually be someone's lucky day when the Mega Millions lottery numbers are drawn.
You may be tempted to increase your chances of winning the $1.35 billion jackpot. And if that's the case, there are some key things you should make sure are established before joining that office or family lottery pool.
Of the almost eight years that she's been practicing law, Racine criminal defense attorney Jillian Scheidegger says nothing makes people turn on each other as quickly as money does.
"Money makes people do a lot of ugly things," said Scheidegger.
That's why she's offering crucial tips on how an office or family lottery pool should be run in order to avoid future issues.
"I think a lot of people go into these pools with the mentality that they aren't actually going to win, and that's where I think the problem lies," said Scheidegger.
The main things Scheidegger suggests to do is first, establish who's in charge and make sure they're trustworthy. Secondly, determine specific guidelines for the pool.
"Where things get a little messy is when one person wants to contribute more money to the pool, maybe have a greater share. Then you're having to figure out what percentage of any potential winnings go to which person," said Scheidegger.
Finally, always, always make sure you leave an electronic paper trail of those who've contributed to the pool by using tools like PayPal or Venmo.
"That's where it gets messy is when people can't establish that they were part of that original pool or that they actually gave money, "said Scheidegger.
While she says it may seem like overkill, Scheidegger believes making sure preparations are in order now will lead to a smoother transition later.
"Call me a jaded criminal defense lawyer, it happens all the time."
The next Mega Millions drawing will take place on Friday, Jan. 13 at 11 p.m. ET.
