如今，投资的种类和方式有很多，其中最流行的一种莫过于艺术品投资。幸运的买家可能会买到一个有巨大升值空间的艺术品，但幸运的人毕竟有限，那么买艺术品是成为百万富翁的最佳方式吗？艺术品投资的风险大吗？

We all have a different approach to money – some of us like to spend it as soon as we have it, even splashing the cash on extravagant things, while some of us like to hold on to it and spend it carefully. But for people who are very savvy about their cash, there are a number of interesting ways to invest it and, if things go well, make a tidy profit.

Buying stamps, wine, coins and books are all different ways of investing your money. It comes with risks but can be thrilling as, hopefully, you watch the value of your investment rise. However, you need to know what you're doing and making your fortune is not guaranteed.

If you're happy to take a gamble, then one of the most well-known ways of investing is by buying artwork. By purchasing a painting and holding on to it, its value can increase by a handsome sum, but of course it's only when you sell it do you feel the financial benefit. Some people get quite lucky, particularly when they don't expect to make any money. There are stories of people buying a painting in an antique shop for peanuts only to find out it's actually worth thousands of pounds.

Investing in art appears to be a hobby for the rich, but not always. Recently, an investor's dream came true when a picture believed to have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci sold for £341m. He had bought it about 60 years ago in an auction for just £45 thinking it was only painted by a follower of da Vinci.

Of course this is a rare story and investing in artwork is not a guarantee to make you a millionaire. Patrick Connolly, a financial adviser at Chase de Vere, told BBC News that to invest in art as a true investment, "you need a starting fund of at least £5,000, and possibly up to £500,000, which can be used to buy individual works of art or invested in an art fund." He feels investing in art is too risky and recommends their clients not to invest in it because the downsides outweigh the upsides.

But if you're still keen, there are art fairs, such as The Affordable Art Fair, and websites aimed at buyers with a modest budget. Patrick Connolly says the best approach here is to buy something you like and can afford and "if it goes up in value, that should be just an added bonus." If this has spoilt your plans for your investment portfolio, maybe there's more chance of winning big money by buying a lottery ticket!