Millionaire lottery winner now a billionaire after learning from past winners' 'mistakes'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A man who scooped $85m (£67million) in the lottery has now become a billionaire after learning from past winners' mistakes. Brad Duke's life changed when he scooped the eight figure sum in 2005.The personal trainer, who worked at the world famous Gold's Gym, waited over a month to tell shocked family and friends that he had become a millionaire overnight but made a clear vow when winning the money, reports the Daily Star.The man claims he had learned from the mistakes of those who had won similar amounts and didn't intend to "splurge" the cash on luxuries such as sports cars, mansions or expensive holidays.He made his intentions clear in an interview with CNN two years after winning the money, and began to start up an investment portfolio including ploughing $45million into low-risk ventures and $35million into high-risk assets.He said: "If you accept that cheque, you accept an amazing responsibility to yourself and whomever you decide to include in it."I was quiet about winning for a month before I decided to come out.

During that time, I was getting as much research as I could on existing lottery winners and what their stories were."Duke said he found that most "lose all the money within a short amount of time" whereas he had ambitions of being "worth about 10 times as much."He brought people in to his operation by hiring a team of trustworthy financial advisors, and now, 12 years since winning the prize, he is officially a billionaire.

Duke didn't completely decry himself of luxuries, however, as he shelved out for a top getaway for 17 friends to the island Tahiti.

He also stayed close to his roots, carrying on being involved with the gym."I really didn't think things could get better for me (at the time)," he told