The Unexpected, Ultra-Personal Genius of Lottery Dream Homes

Imagining wealth — and the unnecessary-but-awesome, Scrooge-McDuck-style extravagances one could buy with it — is as American as apple pie (we've been known to indulge in it ourselves). Actually catching a windfall, on the other hand, offers a chance to make one’s personal paradise a reality — and as David Bromstad and his fortunate house hunters demonstrate, the good life isn’t all water slides and wine cellars. With all due respect to helipads and private islands, we love watching My Lottery Dream Home winners create their one-of-a-kind Edens.

Gone to the Dogs

In Season One, David joined Joe and Rhonda — winners of $11.7 million — in their hunt for land near Stillwater, Minnesota. Rhonda’s hobby bent their search toward properties with massive barns: A dedicated sportswoman, she zeroed in on training space for her German Shepherds’ agility drills.

Three’s Company

Leave it to a Florida real estate agent to speculate that while a single property might suit his needs, his $9 million in winnings gave him the option of investing in all of the contenders he visited. Listen: Some days you feel like a ranch house, and some days you don’t.

This Loo Is Your Loo, This Loo Is My Loo

David’s $20-million winners were far from the first house hunters to fancy the Hamptons — eastern Long Island’s picture-perfect retreats have been hot commodities since the end of the 19th century — but their search had a decidedly modern line item. Nobody — but nobody — was going to share a bathroom.

Museum Peace

Before their $2 million win, Tim and Kim struggled to contain their lifetime of “stuff” in a two-bedroom house. Settling into their new digs meant every last bit of memorabilia had a spot of its own at last. (Welcome home, guitar collection!)

Home for the Holidays

Some of us blanch at the thought of prepping our spaces for special-occasion gatherings. Then there’s Carla, who used a million-dollar win to purchase this Nebraska home — with room to welcome more than 25 friends and family members to her table. Carla, we are seriously impressed.

She’s Crafty

Now here’s a winner after David’s own heart: She won a million dollars, gave her old condo to her son, then focused on finding a new space for herself and the art projects she loves. Now that’s what we call a hobby house.

Let It Grow

In North Port, Florida, David joined a pair of new millionaires in realizing their very Sunshine-State dream: Finding a property with a backyard large enough for a grove of fruit trees.

Sibling Revelry

This New Hampshire duo promised their late father that they’d have each other’s backs forever — and when he won the lottery, he called his sister in to help find a cabin in the woods. They’ll be sharing family holidays — and making their dad proud — for years to come.

“Papa’s Palace”

“Grandpa Jeff”’s biggest priority in finding a Virginia home was four little people: He loves to babysit his grandchildren, and they now have a backyard play area at his place to call their own. Well done, Grandpa Jeff.