If a person has $500,000 what is the safest way to make the most money in return?

Anytime you get safe, the return is lower.

There are no safe "BETS", but you might be able to find some relative safe "INVESTMENTS". However, safety has its own risks (low return) that are so very dependent on your particular circumstances that it is impossible to advise you based on the information provided. You would be well served to consult a professional in your area... or a few professionals for different opinions.

Take your time and choose wisely.

Tuker1999... There are many aspects you need to look at when investimg. As SWY stated, you first need to assess how much you are willing to lose to gain (i.E. can you stomach a loss of $200k to make $200K?) You need to know when you are going to need the money. If you need it in 20 yrs, then you can look at a long term investment, but if you need it tomorrow, then you need to make sure that you keep it liquid. Also, what sort of % of your over all net worth does this money represent. If you are worth multi millions, then you have some "wiggle room" to play sin some speculative investments, but if this is 90% of your overall net worth, then you need to be certain that you preserve this money. Hope this helps, and feel free to email me if you would like a little more personla advice on your situation.