7 Best Ways To Get Rich by New Year’s 2026

Stacy Sare Cohen

Sun, February 22, 2026 at 2:08 AM GMT+9 4 min read

If you want a shot at seeing serious money by New Year’s, now is the time to make a plan — and commit to it. The clock is ticking, and while dramatic wealth in a short window isn’t common, it isn’t impossible either.

True “get rich quick” outcomes almost always involve significant risk, rare opportunity or extraordinary luck. Still, history shows that for a small number of people, life-changing windfalls have happened in a matter of weeks.

Here are seven of the most realistic — and riskiest — ways people have struck it rich before New Year’s 2026.

1. Play the Lottery

Imagine hitting the jackpot with a winning lottery ticket that changes your life overnight. That’s what happened when two Powerball players — one from Missouri and one from Texas — split nearly $1.8 billion before taxes in September 2025, the second-highest Powerball prize in lottery history. However, the government withholds 24% of winnings over $5,000 and collects additional taxes at filing time, according to CBS News.

The odds of winning Powerball are about 1 in 292.2 million, although smaller prizes are more common, CBS reported. As the saying goes, “you have to be in it to win it.”

Lottery officials say players have left more than $1 billion in winnings unclaimed, CBS reported, so it may be worth checking old tickets.

Read More: 3 Signs You’ve ‘Made It’ Financially, According to Financial Influencer Genesis Hinckley

Find Out: 6 Subtly Genius Moves All Wealthy People Make With Their Money

2. Become a TV Game Show Contestant

Television game shows have made contestants instant millionaires. “Jeopardy!” winners have taken home more than $1 million in a matter of weeks.

For example, Matt Amodio, a Ph.D. student affiliated with MIT and Harvard, won $1,518,601. Amy Schneider, a former engineering manager from Oakland, California, won $1,382,800 during a 40-game winning streak, according to Reader’s Digest.

Another high-stakes show, “Wheel of Fortune,” has also produced six-figure winners. In September 2025, contestant Christina Derevjanik of Stamford, Connecticut, won $1,035,155, making her the show’s fourth contestant to win the grand prize, ABC News reported.

3. Win a Reality TV Show Challenge

Another chance to win big money is to be a winning contestant on a reality television show. On the show “Deal or No Deal Island, ” David Genat was awarded $5.8 million, the biggest prize in primetime history, reported NBC.

4. Check for Unclaimed Property and Abandoned Accounts

An estimated 33 million Americans have unclaimed money totaling about $70 billion — roughly 1 in 7 people — according to Business Insider. Unclaimed property is turned over to state treasuries and can include uncashed paychecks, inactive bank accounts, insurance refunds and unclaimed safety deposit box contents.

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To find out whether you have unclaimed money, check the states where you have lived through the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators and MissingMoney.com.

5. Invest in a Crypto or Meme Stock

Bitcoin surpassed $1 trillion in value in May 2021. The win came after major financial investors and institutions like Tesla supported cryptocurrency earlier in the year, according to CNBC.

Dogecoin surged to 12,000% in 2021, making everyday investors into overnight millionaires. But it fell quickly. High-risk traders sometimes score big, but investors should know that crypto and meme stocks can be extremely volatile as long-term investments, according to CNBC.

6. Become a Sneaker Reseller

Cowen financial experts predicted the sneaker resale market will hit $30 billion by 2030, cited Fox Business. Resellers of special designs and limited editions, such as Freddy Krueger Dunk Lows, can fetch a resale market price between $40,000 and $95,000, making sneaker resellers rich overnight.

7. Try Your Luck and Skill at Fantasy Sports or eSports

Financial analysts at Cowen have predicted the sneaker resale market could reach $30 billion by 2030, Fox Business reported. Resellers of limited-edition designs — such as Nike’s Freddy Krueger Dunk Lows — have seen resale prices ranging from $40,000 to $95,000, creating the potential for significant profits.

Disclaimer: The Reality Check

Getting rich by New Year’s is possible; however, it’s rare. Most fast fortunes come with risk, upfront capital, and luck. If your goal is long-term wealth, the best approach is to make consistent contributions by investing regularly, paying down debt, and building income streams that accumulate over time.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Best Ways To Get Rich by New Year’s 2026

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