5 things you can buy with the $1.7 billion Powerball jackpot

Saturday's Powerball drawing won't be the biggest jackpot of all time. (That occurred in November 2022, when the prize reached $2.04 billion.) The current estimated payout of $1.7 billion is hardly something to scoff at, however.

Winning would put you in a pretty elite club. There are an estimated 3,106 billionaires in the world today. And, while the Powerball winner won't get that $1.7 billion at once (the cash payout stands at just over $770 million), that total would (on paper) make you richer than Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, or even Taylor Swift, according to data from Forbes. (We'll ignore the 24% the federal government subtracts before you get your check for these fantasy purposes – and assume you live somewhere that doesn't have state taxes.)

Obviously, the smart thing to do with a windfall like this, whether you take the payout or installment payments on the total, is to invest it. Even a good money market account would generate sufficient interest to live comfortably.

If, however, you opt for that one-time payout and you're the YOLO type, there are plenty of ways to blow your fortune. Of that $770 million, you'd have more than $585 million to spend after federal taxes. Here's what you can do with that.

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Whether you're a homebody or someone who longs for world travel, there's a getaway island for you. Prefer to stay close to the U.S.? Pumpkin Key, located off the tip of Florida, can be yours for $75 million. The 26-acre isle is just a 10-minute helicopter ride from Miami's South Beach. It also comes with a 20-slip marina able to accommodate a mega-yacht. Prefer something more exotic? Long Coco Caye, located off the coast of Belize, is also $75 million. That 38-acre getaway comes with six cabanas, two caretaker homes, two boat docks, and much of the infrastructure you'll need (like solar power, septic tanks, and freshwater wells).

PATRICK T. FALLON 

You won't have quite enough to start your own private rocket ship company like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, but you can always hitch a ride on one that's owned by them. The first ticket on Bezos’ Blue Origin sold for $28 million in 2021, but that price has dropped in the years since. The company doesn't provide an exact price, but you'll have to pay a $150,000 deposit to get on the list. Prefer to fly SpaceX? That will run you $55 million per person for private missions to the International Space Station, although you can tag along for as little as $325,000 for a shorter ride.

Courtesy: Sotheby's Realty

With hurricanes and wildfires posing an increasing threat, you might want to avoid oceanfront property these days. How about living on a lake in Aspen, Colorado, though? The "Little Lake Lodge" recently hit the market at a price of $300 million. That will get you a 27,000-square-foot home on 74 acres, including your own private 6-acre lake. Planning to have friends over? You can park up to 45 cars in the driveway. The home has 18 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, and four half-baths.

Lyvans Boolaky 

You're too rich to risk Ticketmaster screwing up your chance at seeing your favorite artist. Why not have them perform a show just for you and your friends instead? Rates vary wildly. Ed Sheeran runs up to $4.35 million and Justin Timberlake reportedly asks more than $5 million. But you can get Herman's Hermits for just $25,000. Hoping to have Taylor Swift at your birthday party? There's no word on what that would cost, but you do have a few hundred million to burn!

Joshua Blanchard 

Don't let becoming a multi-millionaire change you. Champagne and wagyu steaks are great, but sometimes you just want to grab some fast food. With your money, you can afford roughly 385 million soft tacos from Taco Bell. That's more than enough to feed all 340 million people in the U.S. – and many will get second helpings, when you factor in vegetarians, vegans, and small children.