F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote: “Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me.” However, there is one small category of rich people who often are quite like you and me because they are you and me. These are the people whose lives changed in a second when they won fortunes in the various governmental lotteries and similar contests. One of those winners is Randy Rush, who won $50 million in a Canadian lottery in 2015 and has now written a memoir, “13 Billion to One” (the odds against his win). To be fair, when I began reading Randy’s book, I expected a tale of an ordinary person plunging headlong into the good life. While that might be the story of most lottery winners, Randy Rush isn’t like most lottery winners (and I should know since I have worked for the Georgia Lottery for several years). Randy is a man whose life both before and after his lottery win was far from ordinary; indeed, it was one in about 13 billion or so.

Whereas the stories of some lottery winners are ones of figurative rags to riches, Randy’s story is one of literal rags to successful career to lottery riches. As he recounts in his memoir (co-written by Ingrid Ricks), Rush grew up among a cast of colorful characters, many of whom were on strained terms with the law. His career path was strewn with setbacks and dead-end, near-minimum-wage jobs (he was essentially homeless at two different times). But through hard work, he managed to work his way up the career ladder to a $200,000 job when his good fortune struck. Randy was in his mid-40s at the time.

Randy only devotes a couple of chapters in “13 Billion to One” to the celebrating he did following his win. Frankly, they’re not the best part of the book (Rush seemed to get most excited about staying in the same Edmonton luxury hotel suite where Paul McCartney and Carol Burnett had once spent the night). Instead, the most interesting (and most extended) portion of the memoir concerns Randy’s business ventures or, more accurately, misadventures.

Big lottery winners are frequently bombarded with requests for money from various charities, friends, and acquaintances looking for help, and entrepreneurs peddling business opportunities. Among the first bits of advice that lottery officials give these winners is to get expert assistance in managing their affairs to avoid being taken advantage of. However, Randy was a successful businessman and real estate investor who would seemingly be immune to the various pressures and schemes he encountered. Unfortunately, as he freely admits, he put too much faith in some friends who let him down badly.

As Randy describes it in “13 Billion to One,” in the year following his big win, he invested and lost nearly five million dollars of his jackpot in a fraudulent computer venture run by Jeremy Crawford, a career con artist. Crawford’s father, Dave, was Randy’s spiritual mentor and close friend, and Randy got involved in the scheme primarily because Dave vouched for his son. However, Jeremy’s skills seemed to consist solely of finding ways to coax increasing amounts of “investment” money from Rush and then spending that money extravagantly. Randy spares no criticism of himself as he details exactly how Jeremy used persistent tactics to get money from, He then found various ways to sidetrack Randy’s inquiries about the company’s status. “13 Billion to One” is a fascinating albeit sobering primer on the tactics used by grifters like Jeremy.

However, the story of Jeremy Crawford’s bilking of Randy and others doesn’t end when Rush shut off the money flow. Randy had two things that most victims of con artists don’t: a burning desire to get back at Jeremy (fueled by his life experiences growing up), and a substantial bankroll that enabled him to do so. The second half of “13 Billion to One” describes the lengthy legal struggle, both in the United States and Canada, that followed when Randy decided to sue Jeremy to recover his money and property. (Jeremy had used much of Rush’s investment money to purchase and essentially convert to his own use several luxury “corporate” properties and automobiles). The ensuing legal battle between Randy and Jeremy caught the attention of the national press in Canada, which reported on the case (“$50 Million Lottery Winner Sues Con Artist” headlines) extensively. It also made Randy even more of a local celebrity than when he initially won his jackpot.

“13 Billion to One” is not just a tale of an elaborate scam or how one man celebrated his enormous windfall. Instead, the story is sprinkled with engaging nuggets about Randy’s earlier life. (An episode involving a Road Runner lunchbox and a couple of elementary-school bullies figures prominently in Rush’s youthful character development.) Randy’s faithful feline companion, Conway Kitty, also takes center stage on a few occasions. Actually, Rush was on a grocery run to buy cat food the night he purchased his fateful lottery ticket. Unfortunately, Randy’s co-author (who I assume was responsible for the book’s overall organization) lets him down somewhat. Many anecdotes about Randy’s earlier life are inserted seemingly at random into the narrative, making his earlier life story somewhat harder to follow. I would have preferred a few better-organized opening chapters about Randy’s pre-lottery days.

Randy Rush is a rich man, not just in terms of money, but in life experiences. Indeed, in both respects, he has accumulated far more than most of us ever will. Fortunately, he has chosen to share many of those life experiences in “13 Billion to One.” He hasn’t been shy, either; there’s a lot of ugly with the good. But he tells his story in a witty, frank, engaging manner that makes this memoir a fascinating read. We may never win the lottery ourselves, but those who read this book will definitely hit the jackpot.

The publisher graciously gave me a copy of this book. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of that review were completely my own.

Thank you to Rantanna Media and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Imagine going to the corner store for pet food and finding out you have won the lottery and the amount is $50M! This is exactly what happened to Randy Rush when buying food for his cat, Conway Kitty.
Randy, like all of us, thought he knew what he would do with his winnings if he ever won the lottery…he even had a to-do list. He made quick work of helping ease the financial burdens of his friends, traveling, splurging on cars and even attempted a donation to the church. Unfortunately, the saying more money more problems seems to be true. Enter the Crawford family….serial con artists.
I found this book really interesting. You got to hear about Randy’s childhood struggles, which may been a factor in his desire to ignore his gut feeling and red flags during important decision making moments. There was also a lot of frustration hearing how true it is that money or hard times can show you who your true friends are. There were quite a few disappointments for Randy when it came to his friends.
Also frustrating is how slowly justice can move. I commend Randy on pursuing justice because with the amount of money he won it would be quite easy to just cut his losses and move on from the Crawfords. I appreciate the sense of right and wrong and seeking justice that keeps you in emotional turmoil indefinitely.
Some of my favorite parts of the story were hearing about his pets Huey, Coco and Conway Kitty. I also enjoyed hearing about Randy’s 50th birthday celebration and the work he was doing in Africa.
A memoir that serves as a great cautionary tale for those that come into money…..get a money manager and an attorney right away. Protect yourself from others and from your own initial excitement of financial freedom.

Have you bought a lottery ticket? Dreamed of what winning it big w could be like? Well let Randy tell you this cautionary tale first. Keep it I kinda you dream of spending all that free money.

Have you always dreamed of winning big through the Lottery? Randy Rush won big and in 13 Billion to One we learn what that actually cost him!
As I was reading this book, I visualized a documentary. Randy's story is quite compelling. Yes, he made mistakes, yes he was taken advantage of, and yes he had every right to be angry. I was most impressed by the section of the book that led him to the determination to properly channel his anger, his commitment to battling white collar crime, and the reveal of the ultimate generosity of his spirit.
A cautionary tale of lessons learned, but definitely a worthwhile read. 3.5
I accessed my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

3.5 stars
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A bit of a ‘rags to riches’ story that takes a turn, 13 Billion to One is also a cautionary tale. Yes, we all occasionally buy that lottery ticket and fantasize what it would be like to win. But then we never actually win…. But what happens if you actually DO win? That was why I wanted to pick up this memoir. Winning the lottery is not all it is cracked up to be.

Some of Rush’s circumstances were of his own fault. He first wanted to not do any investments for a full year after winning. If he had stayed with his first thoughts, he would not have found himself in his circumstances. He also came off a bit naïve and over the top with some of his early purchases and helping out of his ‘friends’. So many people came off to him expecting multiple handouts. I get it, you want to help your friends out, but multiple times? No, that’s taking advantage of his situation and possibly losing your friendship.

I never lost interest in reading this memoir. It was very easy to read, even when it came to the legal issues, and Rush tells us his story first hand. Despite wanting to try and help Rush learn to say ‘no’ to people and pay attention to the many red herrings that showed up which he ignored, I had little empathy for him. I did like how he shows us how he did end up using his money for the good of others in another country.

A very cautionary tale that shows that the love/greed of money is truly evil and how winning the lottery is really not all you might think it may be.

Many thanks to the publisher Rantanna Media for granting me an e-arc to read and review.

As a welfare kid who grew up in the streets, Randy Rush had to fight for everything he got and knew what it was like to struggle. So, when he was suddenly handed $50 million in tax free money, he vowed to use his new-found wealth to help others. But what he didn’t see coming was Jeremy Crawford.

In his gripping, adrenaline-packed memoir, Rush takes readers on his rocket-fueled journey after a trip to the corner grocer to buy food for his beloved cat, Conway Kitty, leads to the discovery that he has won Canada’s $50 million Lotto Max jackpot.

Soaring on a seemingly endless endorphin high, Rush spends the months following his win traveling, feeding his passion for rare sports cars, considering charitable causes, and splurging on friends — paying off their debts and even giving them a free place to stay in million-dollar homes. But his world comes crashing down when he discovers that Dave Crawford, a man he loved like an older brother and had generously provided for, has served him up to his con artist son, Jeremy — who scams Rush out of nearly $5 million.

Reeling from Dave’s betrayal and fueled by the discovery that the Crawfords are serial con artists who have devastated the lives of more than a hundred others, Rush embarks on a mission to take his adversaries down. But as his quest for justice drags on, his festering rage reaches a boiling point and he is faced with a choice: Let the Crawfords' cons destroy him, or re-focus his attention on doing good in the world and enjoying the enormous gift he has been given.

This is the true story of Randy Rush and his astounding lottery win. Have you ever wondered what you would do with all that money? And how it would change your life? This is Randy Rush's emotional account of his life after lottery. He tried his hardest to do good and help people, but people (especially relatives) were never happy with what he gave them, always wanting more. To top it off, he becomes a victim of a scam that bilked him out of millions sparking a new career for Randy. His mission now is to put an end to white-collar crime and again help people who are victims like himself.

Rush and Ingrid Ricks have crafted an emotional memoir. It is an interesting study of humanity and greed. I appreciate the opportunity to read an ARC.

I enjoyed this book. The writing brings the reader along at a frantic pace undoubtedly reflecting the authors experience of discovering he won $50 million from a lottery ticket. We follow along as he buys fancy cars, enjoys travel to comfortable locations and get suckered in by an entire family of scam artists. It’s a warts and all story of his experience.

He does not sugarcoat the debacle that he became involved with. We watch as he manages to turn his rage at being scammed into learning how to deal with it that makes for a great lesson. He redirects his efforts from looking for the next big tech investment into understanding how his money can make a difference in the lives of the youth of Africa.

'13 Billion to One' is not only a memoir but a cautionary tale in the most unadulterated sense. At the beginning of 2015, Randy Rush was just a normal guy. After growing up poor and surviving on welfare, Randy suffered some difficult setbacks in his 20's and ended up having to move back in with his parents. But, after managing to get back on his feet and find work in an equipment rental agency, he cleaned up his life.

That was, until he won 50 million dollars in the Canadian lottery.
Saying that Randy's life changed suddenly is a bit of an understatement, I think most of us would struggle to imagine the shock of suddenly winning such a large amount of money when you only left the house to pick up cat food.
Of course, money like that can bring out the criminal in people. Randy quickly found out who his real friends were and who was kissing up to him for a taste of the wealthy lifestyle. Particularly, the son of a friend who convinced Randy to invest in his tech start up, only to later turn out to be a scam.

Randy, who comes across as a very nice and personable guy, had never experienced betrayal like that. The memoir goes on to show his process through the courts trying to get his money back and the eventual beginnings of his crusade to help fight white-collar crime.

This book was a very enjoyable reading experience for me, as I absolutely love memoirs and this story was a doozy. From the opening pages, where Randy wins the money to the eventual betrayal by his friend, I was hooked! This guy has lead a pretty unbelievable life and has quite the story to tell from it. He also goes on to help a charity in Africa that educates children. After visiting a charity run grade school he decides he wants to help in a big way and builds a high school. There is also some lighter laugh out loud moments, from now on Meeka’s canned cat food will be called “premium soft-serve.” That is what Randy calls his cat, Conway Kitty’s, cat food. I highly recommend this excellent book!

This book is truly a non-fiction gem and a bestseller waiting to happen!

Canadian Randy Rush unexpectedly won 50 million dollars in the lottery and his life was changed forever—and not just for the better. The first thing Randy did after finding out that he won was make a list. He wanted to do things like help his friends with their debts, make a large donation to his church and other charities, and quit his boring job. All things that I think many of us daydream about doing.

From the start, Randy was cautious and hesitant to allow other people in his town know that he had won, at least until the lottery made the announcement and the news cameras and reporters came out. After all, if people find out that you have money, some can feel entitled to it for no reason. But all of that caution did not help Randy when a family friend’s son asked him to invest in his tech start up. Thinking that it was a sound investment, Randy agreed, only to find out later that he has been scammed.

This book was very well written and easy to read. I felt like I was watching a movie as I was reading, the pacing and action were so perfect. I love when memoir writers pay attention to traditional pacing elements because it really creates a masterpiece of a book and '13 Billion to One' is just such a masterpiece. Rush has such a talent for writing that I definitely think he should use it again in the future.

As for how things worked out after his friend betrayed him, well, you're going to have to read the book to find that one out yourself. But suffice it to say that I was on the edge of my seat.
I really appreciated the overall message in this book and how the ending worked out. Definitely worth a read! I give it 5 out of 5.

You win the $50 million lottery. Your good friend scams you out of $5 million. Do you go for revenge, try to get it back, or do good things with what you have left. Interesting and unique story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Randall Rush is the winner of a 50 million dollar lottery jackpot - an absolutely unimaginable amount of money. Also unimaginable is the deception and fraud perpetrated by those he thought of as his closest friends.
In the afterword, Rush explains that he wants readers to feel hopeful that no matter what negative circumstances you are surrounded by, everything has the possibility change in an instant. I did feel that hope at the end, and was glad to see that he has done well for himself.
While his story was very interesting, I felt let down by the quality of the writing. It was simplistic and somewhat disjointed as stories about his past were sprinkled in with the main narrative about the fraud - the most compelling part of the book. I think a well written long form article (eg. New Yorker, Atlantic etc.) may have been able to tell the story in a more compelling manner.

This book was remarkable. It makes me wonder if everyone who wins or comes into a lot of money goes through something like this. Mr. Rush had the right idea. Take off for a year. Runaway. Don't make any big decisions. The same is said about losing a loved one. Don't make any big decisions for a year or so. Money makes people do stupid things. If a lose friend of mine came into a lot of money, that would probably distance us. I could not keep up with his spending. I would not expect him to pay my way. I agree with him fully. Let's get rid of these scammers!!! Interesting read.

What would you do if you won $50 million dollars tax free? This book caught my interest because it is a memoir from lottery winner, Randy Rush who did indeed win this big sum in the Canadian lottery. I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.

Despite having a plan and deeming himself to be smarter than previous winners who had been scammed out of their money, Rush falls prey to a con artist he identifies as Jeremy Crawford. I was interested to see how he ended up in that position, how he fought back, and what he moved on to do afterwards.

This book had a lot of background information that jumped about, which was somewhat hard to follow and seemed to exist to bring the reader to the conclusion that Rush is a good guy in spite of all the odds all being against him. No doubt, lottery winners deal with more than their fair share of people trying to get some of their money, but there were some loyal people in his life, and they received little notice. This narrative has a clear protagonist, Randy, and an antagonist Crawford who, along with a supporting cast of characters including many of Randy's friends and family, is without nuance. There are many villains in this story, but only one hero.

He not only lost money, but clearly, he lost some pride and confidence throughout the experience. I had to cringe when reading about him being talked into signing a legal contract for large sum of money, even while he says he knew better and had seen many red flags to that point. Seemingly to justify how he allowed himself to provide such a large sum of money to the con artist, he went on a mission to prove how bad his ex-business partner truly was. He digs into how many people Crawford had conned and into his background by hiring a private investigator and even commissioning a book about Crawford'. This eventually set in motion an official government inquiry in addition to his own lawsuit. The end of the book included how he moved forward and his shift to focusing on the good he can do with his remaining winnings. The personal shift in the end and the author’s rising confidence seems palpable. That was, for me, one of the best parts of the book.

This is a wild and fascinating ride through the experiences of a man plucked by fate from his ordinary life into the world of fantasy--the fantasy of suddenly having enough money to do just about whatever you want to do. Go see your favorite team! Fly to Europe! Travel to Africa! Buy the car that you've always wanted. Two cars--or even more!

But along with fantasy comes the reality of dealing with the people who surround you hoping to use your success to make their dreams come true--at your expense.

In this book, Randy Rush tells us of the initial excitement of winning the Canadian lottery, tax-free, and getting a lump sum deposit into his bank account that will set him up securely for life.

But Randy is the kind of guy who sees people around him who are struggling or who need help--and with more money than he really needs, he decides to give them a leg up. And then, after a while, it's an arm and a leg up...

Money isn't the root of all evil--it's the love of money that does that. And having access to money doesn't change people. It just makes their characters more clearly apparent to everyone.

Randy goes through an enormous number of challenges to learn the truths about the people around him, but also learns about his own self, that generosity AND wisdom are required for happiness and joy.


Overall the book was interesting, and I read it through in one sitting. It's co-authored with Ingrid Ricks, and it is fluid and smooth, but it displays the enthusiasms and attentions of the subject, Randy Rush. Sometimes the story shifted from one topic to another with great rapidity. It did not detract from the story; in fact, it is a charming reveal of the personality of Randy expressed in the book itself.

There is a section with photos from Randy's life which help round out the picture that the words of the story described. I appreciated seeing them, and appreciate matching names to faces in the story.


I was happy to receive a copy of the book to review in exchange for my honest review.

Book Title:13 billion to one

Author: Randall Rush

Genre: Memoir



What would you do if you win a $50 million in a lottery? This book shows with that kind of winning, a hefty price would come along with it! Randall Rush won $50 million in a lottery! With careful consideration of the previous lottery winner's curse fate, he decided not to get into that lottery curse loop. But still, fate found him and what happened next is the remaining story! The narration of the book is perfect. It captures each and every emotion of Randy Rush clearly and so it engages the reader. From the moment he won the lottery, his roller-coaster mood and the adrenal rush somehow caught us, and we could even feel the anger in every bad turn! Inclusion of his childhood stories, his sufferings before the win, everything makes this book a good complete biography. In the middle chapters, the story got stretched with repeated betrayal stories of Crawford ‘s cheating, and emotions around with it. other than that I found this one as a decent read. This book again proved money alone can’t buy happiness and peace! Go for it!

Thoughts while read :

This part has some subtle spoilers

I was awe about the generous heart of Rush in the initial chapters! He is seriously a good big-hearted man!
The mention of the bank took a $14 wire transfer fee even for $50 million deposit made me rolled my eyes out! Seriously the corporate banks 🤦🏻‍♀️!
And when he was betrayed by Jeremy, my blood boils for the injustice and the cunningness of the people whom he trusted and offered generously! I too wanted for them to get punished in every possible way.
And the way he determined to make the culprits pay for their bad deeds is great and appreciatable! And the mention of not everyone could afford to fight for that kind of white-collar crime is a bitter truth to digest!
I don’t like the way he portrayed his biological dad as a great one, but then I realized for everyone their dad is a hero whoever it is!
The betrayal of his own friends and the continuous nagging of people for money including his close friends to unknown persons, the point where he had a dispute with his own mother because of money, the price, tag along with that kind of money is a shocking truth! And thanks to pen down it without hesitation!
And finally, his work toward the kid's education in Africa and the way he is fighting against white-collar crime both are deserving of a standing ovation! Hats off Mr. Rush! I wish his dream of building a good university for poor kids become true!




Favorite quote from the book:

"To whom much is given, much is expected"

"If something could go wrong it would go wrong"




I received this free ARC from #NetGalley and the publisher #Rantanaamedia, and this review is straight from my heart!! HONEST AND UNBIASED.

Having worked in the financial sector for 28 years, I have been interested in monetary fraud for some time.

This book is a man who wins a $50 million lottery (tax free in Canada) and falls victim to fraud due to the son of a trusted friend to the tune of $5,000,000.

Interesting story. Writing style is as if he is talking to a friend. Easy to follow until it gets into some of the legal aspects. He provides lots of background to his life which helped create his persona. He also gives great insight into his life after the fraud.

The book provides great evidence that winning a lottery is not always the answer to your prayers, no matter his diligent you try to be. And, money is not the answer to everything.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for a review.

I sadly could not download it on my kindle. I seem interesting and great story. I am sure it will be a hit.