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Thursday, 14 August, 2003, 17:05 GMT 18:05 UK

How to blow that euro jackpot

The Rolling Stones As Europe records its biggest lottery payout ever, BBC News Online offers tips to anyone with 66 million euro ($76 m) to burn.

First of all, one is likely to feel obliged to celebrate the win.

A party would be in order, and the champagne would have to flow.

How about a few bottles of Krug's Clos du Menil, at around $2,500 a case?

It might help your guests wash down the world's most expensive food - Beluga Caviar, at $200 an ounce.

No party would be complete without some of your favourite rockers.

The Rolling Stones were happy to oblige Texan businessman David Bonderman - who paid the band around $7m to make an appearance at his private party in Las Vegas last year.

But even with all this in the bag, the perfect party can go horribly wrong if the venue is not quite right, so why not hire an entire country for your bash?

The tiny principality of Liechtenstein, sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland, is available to rent for four days at a cost of just $2m.

Ivory tower

As your hangover recedes, it will be time to start thinking about a new home, or two.

Diver celebrates with champagne Having your own island is becoming a little predictable, but the allure of your own insular retreat may be too much to resist.

A wide variety of islands are currently available online, ranging from the very pricy such as Fiji's Laucala Island, billed as a 4.7-square-mile little bit of heaven, for $10m, to the rather more modest Smith Island off the coast of Canada, for just $325,000.

If you don't feel the need to actually own your own piece of floating land, you could opt for a villa on a new artificial Gulf island, and join the likes of footballing hero David Beckham and his former Manchester United colleagues who have signed up for $1m holiday properties on the new development.

But it may get lonely once the football season starts and your new friends leave. So how about an Austrian castle as a more permanent abode?

Poised on a wooded slope, ringed by majestic mountains and with plenty of picturesque towns and villages nearby, Schloss Heroldeck could be yours right now for just $2 million.

New money

Now you'll be needing some aristocratic credentials to match the demands of your new home.

People celebrate in Veduggio - where the winning ticket was bought Fortunately, this is no longer hard to come by.

For the paltry sum of $3,000, you could become the Lord or Lady of Fenwick, Britain - a title, which, should you tire off it, you can sell on again.

The fee includes a parcel of land, although the seller is keen to stress that "it is the titles themselves that are of significance here with the land itself being of no great importance per se".

It is the extras which every well-bred aristocrat needs on board which add up.

A British butler costs around $60,000 per year in wages, and if they are specially trained in self-defence arts, they can cost more. You must pay their national insurance contributions, give them somewhere to live, a car, and give them something to eat.

Investing in China

But as any enterprising entrepreneur knows, one of the beauties of money is making more money with it. So how about a few timely investments?

At present you can buy a 25-year lease on a major toll road in China for around $40m, which promises to be a major little earner - with an estimated 3% growth in traffic over the coming years.

But if you don't think a road sounds like much fun, for the same price you could also probably pick up a European football team.

Don't, however, harbour any illusions of being the new Roman Abramovich.

He is thought to have spent over $320m on Chelsea since taking it over in July - and that is out of your league.

A furry friend

If wealth, meanwhile, is making you suspicious of the motives of those who profess to be your friends, why not invest in a pet?

For $60,000, a friendly, loving chimp could be yours.

And for a snip, you can get your hands on a cuddly lion cub - just $1,400. But be warned, lions grow up to be very big, and start eating up to 8 pounds of raw meat a day.

It is also not uncommon for an exotic carnivore to turn on its owner for seemingly no reason, hence defeating the purpose of buying the creature.

Child benefits

The kids will love the chimp, too. But if you want to further indulge your beloved offspring, there is a firm that is ready to help out.

FAO Schwarz is offering your child the "Ultimate Sleepover", billed as "a once in a lifetime experience that consists of 15 hours of pure adventure and non-stop fun!"

Your child and friends will enjoy raiding an enormous sweet shop, taking part in a scavenger hunt and playing the latest video games, before tucking into a snack of chocolate chip cookies and getting into sleeping bags to watch a Star Wars display.

Your child also goes home with $100 in Star Wars merchandise, and all this costs just $17,500.

And after splashing out on your child, why not blow your remaining millions on a few toys for yourself?

A number of international yacht makers would be willing to help out. For $20m you could pick up a beautiful custom-made vessel, perfect for sailing around that artificial Gulf island.


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Related to this story:
Hunt for Italy jackpot winner (14 Aug 03  |  Europe )

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