[azasadny]

In MI, they take the taxes out before the check is cut to the winner (or their blind trust). If you take the one time payment, the net to you ends up to be 1/3 of the dtated prize, since all taxes are also taken out. I believe you can setup a trust to receive the $ and a lawyer could go and pickup the winnings or ensure that the $ is electronically deposited into the trust account.

There are several accounts of people winning big and doing well after winning. Not the typical "winners who lost it all" stories, like we're used to hearing.

All of the successful winners had a plan and proper accountability and governance. Tax attys, accountants, financial planners, etc... don't come cheap but how many of us know enough to handle something like winning the lottery? There is a lot to learn very quickly and it's a full time job according to several guys who won big and have done well afterwards...