NEWS / Stock

A Man Just Won a $1 Million Picasso With a $117 Raffle Ticket

Published Apr 15, 2026

Share:

Summary:

Ari Hodara, 58, won a Picasso painting worth $1 million after buying a $117 raffle ticket at a charity draw at Christie's in Paris.
The painting is "Head of a Woman" from 1941, a portrait of Picasso's partner Dora Maar.
All 120,000 tickets sold out worldwide, raising 12 million euros ($14 million) for

Alzheimer's research. A $117 bet on a raffle ticket just turned into a million-dollar Picasso. Ari Hodara, a 58-year-old Parisian art lover, won Pablo Picasso's "Head of a Woman" - a 1941 portrait of Picasso's long-time partner Dora Maar - after buying a single raffle ticket over the weekend. He found out about the charity draw by chance during a meal at a restaurant.

How It Worked

The online raffle, organized by the Alzheimer Research Foundation, sold all 120,000 tickets at 100 euros (about $117) each. The draw took place at Christie's auction house in Paris, raising 12 million euros - roughly $14 million - for Alzheimer's research. The foundation says it has become France's largest private funder of Alzheimer's-related medical research since it was founded in 2004.

Worth Noting

Hodara described himself as an "art amateur fond of Picasso" and learned about his win when organizers called after the draw. The painting was valued at roughly $1 million - making this one of the best returns on a raffle ticket in history.

The Shoe Company Allbirds Just Sold Its

Brand and Rebranded as an AI Company.

Get Market Briefs delivered to your inbox every morning for free!

No fluff. No noise. No politics. Just finance news you can read in 5 minutes.

Recent News

May 25, 2026

The CLARITY Act Could Spark A Crypto "Yield-As-A-Service" Boom

May 25, 2026

The SEC Just Hit Pause On Letting Crypto Firms Trade U.S. Stocks On The Blockchain

May 25, 2026

Home Buyers And Sellers Are Finally Meeting In The Middle On Price

1 2 3 … 616 Next »

Blogs

How to Create Multiple Income Streams: A Beginner's Playbook

By Milena Thomas

Most people rely on a single income stream from their job - which is also the most heavily taxed.
Multiple income streams come from a mix of cash flow, dividends, side businesses, real estate, and royalties.
The fastest path for most beginners is starting with one extra stream - usually dividends or a side hustle - and stacking from there.

The 60/40 Portfolio Explained: A Beginner's Guide

By Nate Gregory

A 60/40 portfolio holds 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds (or other fixed income).
It's designed to balance growth from stocks with stability from bonds.
Your "right" mix depends on age, time horizon, income needs, and how well you sleep when markets drop.

How to Invest in Silver: A Beginner's Guide

By Jackson Moreland

Silver is both a precious metal and an industrial metal, used in solar panels, electronics, and medical tech.
Investors can buy silver four main ways: physical bars and coins, ETFs, mining stocks, or futures contracts.
Most beginners are best served by allocating a small slice of their portfolio to silver - usually between 1% and 3%.

Asset Allocation by Age: The Right Portfolio Mix at Every Stage of Life

By Andre Savage

Younger investors should hold mostly stocks because they have decades to recover from crashes and benefit from compounding.
Allocations gradually shift toward bonds and stable income as retirement approaches, but stocks remain important even past age 65 to outpace inflation.
Annual rebalancing is essential - it forces you to buy low and sell high while keeping your portfolio aligned with your actual life stage.

Stablecoin Explained: Why Some Cryptocurrencies Actually Aren't Volatile

By Jackson Moreland

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets like the US dollar, giving crypto-style speed and access without the volatility of Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Fiat-backed stablecoins like USDC are the safest option, while algorithmic stablecoins have failed spectacularly and should generally be avoided.
Stablecoins fit a portfolio as cash reserves with better yields, a hedge against crypto volatility, and a fast, cheap rail for international transactions.

Buy Now, Pay Later Risks: Why This "Easy" Payment Method Is Dangerous to Your Wealth

By Nate Gregory

Buy now, pay later services like Klarna, Affirm, and Sezzle are debt products designed to feel harmless while keeping users in a cycle of overspending.
BNPL exploits psychological debt blindness, triggers late fees, and damages credit scores without helping users build positive credit history.
Building real wealth means waiting 30 days, paying upfront when you have the cash, and avoiding systems built to extract money from your future income.

Dividend Payout Ratio: The Secret Metric That Shows If a Stock Is Safe or Risky

By Jackson Moreland

Dividend payout ratio is total dividends paid divided by net income, showing the percentage of earnings a company returns to shareholders.
A 20-50% payout ratio is generally safe and sustainable, while ratios above 75% often signal a dividend cut is coming.
High dividend yields can be warning signs, not opportunities - safety and dividend growth matter more than the headline yield number.

Ethereum for Beginners: What It Is and Why Smart Investors Are Paying Attention

By Milena Thomas

Ethereum is a blockchain platform that runs smart contracts, while Ether (ETH) is the cryptocurrency that powers the network.
Use cases include decentralized finance, NFTs, gaming, supply chain tracking, and digital identity - many still experimental.
Most investors should treat Ethereum as a small allocation hedge using dollar-cost averaging, not a get-rich-quick lottery ticket.

Dollar Cost Averaging Strategy: How to Beat Emotion and Build Wealth Steadily

By Nate Gregory

Dollar cost averaging means investing the same amount at regular intervals regardless of what the market is doing.
The strategy automatically buys more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high, lowering your average cost over time.
DCA removes emotion, eliminates the need to time the market, and turns volatility into a mathematical advantage for long-term investors.

The BRRRR Strategy: How to Build Real Estate Wealth Without Big Money Down

By Andre Savage

BRRRR stands for Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat - a five-step framework for scaling real estate without saving for big down payments.
The strategy works by buying distressed properties below market value, adding value through smart renovations, and pulling out equity through refinancing.
Tax advantages like depreciation and mortgage interest deductions make BRRRR a powerful tool for owners willing to manage tenants and contractors.

1 2 3 … 20 Next »