If you happen to be a sucker for Cinderella-style, rags-to-riches stories, chances are you never
miss an episode of "My Lottery Dream Home."
Other reality shows merely showcase the wealth of the Housewives or the Kardashians who already
lead luxurious lives.
But this popular HGTV series is all about average folks whose lives change literally
overnight thanks to one lucky Powerball ticket, scratch-off lotto card, or other game of chance.
Suddenly, families who could barely afford to pay the rent on a one-bedroom apartment
are deciding whether to get a house with an in-ground pool or one with a gourmet kitchen.
Of course, part of the show's appeal also lies in its host David Bromstad.
"It feels delicious.
Oh my gosh, what is that over there?"
His bubbly personality and unique style make him the perfect person to help the winners
find their home sweet mansion.
After all, not everyone can pull off a huge tiger tattoo on their neck.
The star was actually an illustrator for Disney before going on to win the reality competition
"Design Star.".
From there, he hosted the shows "Beach Flip" and "Color Splash" before being tapped for
"Dream Home."
As we all know, so-called "reality" shows are sometimes anything but real.
Typically lots of planning, edits, and guidance from the producers combine to make the finished
product look both believable and interesting.
"My Lottery Dream Home" is no exception.
While the people on the show are real lottery winners, their house-hunting journey isn't
always what it appears to be.
"Does it come furnished?
It does not.
This is all staged."
Filming just one episode of the show can be a six-hour-a-day grind as cameras and lights
are set up.
Scenes are shot and reshot to get different camera angles.
And that leads to just a bit of staging to get the right shot.
One winner from Washington state told the HeraldNet that he and his wife had to pretend
to be surprised to see the same room over and over again.
"Wow, that's a nice big space."
"Oh, wow.
Wow, nice big deck."
"Oh, nice.
Oh, nice big kitchen."
"Wow, again, a large area."
Another winner allegedly had to be a really good actor.
A woman told BuzzFeed that her uncle appeared on "My Lottery Dream Home."
The secret, according to her, is that he was on the show two years after he'd already bought
a beach house with his prize money.
She didn't clarify which episode this was, but claimed that in order to appear like a
new house-hunter, he agreed to tour his own home, along with two others, before pretending
to make his selection.
"Can you believe that like just six weeks ago you'd be looking at places like this?"
"No."
Of course, one person's story doesn't necessarily mean it's true.
And even if it was true in one instance, that doesn't mean every episode goes down that
way.
Still, the production has admitted to having trouble finding people willing to be on the
show.
Producer Mike Krupat told MediaWeek in 2017:
"We reached out to close to 1,000 lottery winners and we got 10 to appear on our first
season."
That's surely changed by now given the popularity of "My Lottery Dream Home," but there are
also some behind the scenes things you don't see.
It's easy to imagine that winners get on the phone to the show's producers immediately
after seeing "JACKPOT" on their scratch-off ticket.
The truth is that the folks we see on TV have likely done a lot of work prior to filming.
Newly minted millionaires should hire a lawyer, financial planner, and accountant before they
even claim their prize, according to State Farm.
It's wise to set up a trust and look into investments to make sure that money lasts
a while.
Those lottery winners who do decide to buy new digs don't necessarily want eight-bedroom
mansions with swimming pools and home theaters, either.
While "My Lottery Dream Home" has featured some spectacular properties — like the $5.8
million mountain home a California couple splurged on in one episode — many others
are much less grand.
David Bromstad once told the New York Post:
"It all depends on how much money they've just won.
Some people are living paycheck to paycheck and they're pretty smart, like, 'Wow, I'm
35 years old and I've just won a million dollars — it's going to change my life for the moment
but I've got to be smart about it'."
So is the magic that viewers feel at home actually happening behind the scenes?
Maybe it doesn't matter.
Most of us would gladly put up with a little fake reality if it meant having a few million
dollars, a gorgeous place to come home to, and David Bromstad to help us find it.
"Smack that bottom, I've done it again."
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