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Original poster

Small(ish) lottery win - Do I keep it since they didn’t pay?

449 replies

swimmingforCB · 05/05/2023 20:02

We’ve had a family syndicate going for 6 months or so now. Few £10 wins etc but nothing big.

For the past 2 weeks, nobody has bothered paying in. They kept saying they’d do it next week, and then next week came and they said they’d do it that week. But everyone forgot again!

I won on Tuesday. Nothing OTT but a sizeable sum

If I keep it to myself, it’ll change my life. If I share it between the 4 of us, it’ll pay for a fancy holiday and that’s it.

What do I do? 😬

OP posts:
MammaTo · 05/05/2023 22:04

BowiesJumper · 05/05/2023 22:02

OP I would get this thread pulled as the press will probably pick it up

VERY VALID POINT

itsgettingweird · 05/05/2023 22:07

Frumpylumpyvixen · 05/05/2023 20:20

Family is worth more than money, every single time. I think I'd ask them to pay up for past weeks and the next four by end of Monday, if not then you assume they are out. On Tuesday you can tell them about the winnings

This.

Maze76 · 05/05/2023 22:07

MrsMikeDrop · 05/05/2023 22:03

I would be very interested with those who would take it, how they would feel if they were one of the ones in the syndicate that didn't pay that week. I bet then they would be furious!

But the OP bought a Lucky Dip from her own purse, she didn’t play syndicated lines-it’s her win!

JaffaCake70 · 05/05/2023 22:11

Howmanysleepsnow · 05/05/2023 20:09

I’d say that anyone who wants to stay in the syndicate needs to pay money owed and this week/ months by tomorrow/ Sunday/ whenever. Then announce the win after the next draw

I would ask everyone for their payments for the last two weeks. Anyone who doesn't pay in the next day or two doesn't get a share of the winnings.

CordylineHair · 05/05/2023 22:12

Keep it to yourself!

I live my life with a strict moral code. Always honest, always do the best. No one ever ever says thank you. Ever. It is never acknowledged even.

So I say tell no-one and keep the whole thing under wraps and to yourself. There will be no reward if you share.

JRWM · 05/05/2023 22:13

I’d be interested to see where OP sees the delineation from HER playing the lottery on her own and the SYNDICATE playing the lottery with her buying the ticket on the syndicates behalf when the syndicate was ONLY HER.

Essentially didn’t she just play the lottery herself that night? It is as simple as that. If she used syndicate money to buy the tickets then that is different.

I am soft as soap and would want to share, but looking at this objectively the group didn’t buy the ticket - she did

JagerbombsUnite · 05/05/2023 22:14

allrightclucky · 05/05/2023 21:19

If you would have accepted their cash in arrears for losing tickets, surely morally you have to accept it in arrears for winning ones?

Would you even have bought the same number of lucky dips you bought, if you weren't in the family syndicate?

If you know in your heart of hearts that you bought that number of lucky dips only because it was the syndicate, and you knew you'd be repaid, then I think morally you have to accept you bought those lines for the whole family and the prize is for all of you.

Otherwise anyone might as well run a syndicate and deliberately encourage people to pay in arrears, so that any time there's a win they can argue that it's all theirs as the money hasn't arrived yet.

Not sure why so many people agree with you - the obvious flaw in this argument is that the OP hasn't encouraged ANYBODY to pay in arrears. Rather. she has been nagging them and they haven't paid.

You can flip the argument around and say that those who don't pay then subsequently rush in and do so only if there's a win effectively pay for free.

Paying for a losing ticket is very different to paying for a win, in 'hindsight'.

OP, keep the money.

chali7 · 05/05/2023 22:15

Don't tell them, keep the money, better your life from it and enjoy every penny! Congratulations.

anunlikelyseahorse · 05/05/2023 22:16

Well if they don't know what the numbers are, I'd be tempted to send a message to them along the lines of "do you want to keep playing the lottery, if so please can you settle the last two weeks by Sunday? otherwise I'll disband the syndicate many thanks / loads a love SwimmingforCB".
Those that pay by Sunday get their shared amount.
If they don't pay, well that's on them....oh and just hope they're not on hereGrin

JagerbombsUnite · 05/05/2023 22:16

JagerbombsUnite · 05/05/2023 22:14

Not sure why so many people agree with you - the obvious flaw in this argument is that the OP hasn't encouraged ANYBODY to pay in arrears. Rather. she has been nagging them and they haven't paid.

You can flip the argument around and say that those who don't pay then subsequently rush in and do so only if there's a win effectively pay for free.

Paying for a losing ticket is very different to paying for a win, in 'hindsight'.

OP, keep the money.

Show quote history

Also OP hasn't said whether people paid up in arrears. They 'forgot', but did they pay up?

CherryCokeFanatic · 05/05/2023 22:18

Never mention it

GG1986 · 05/05/2023 22:21

If it was numbers that you had all chosen together and played every week then yes I would tell them, but seeing as they didn't pay in that week then no they shouldn't get a share. Keep it secret and say your partner came into some money.

AspenTree · 05/05/2023 22:21

I couldn’t keep it a secret and feel ok. But as @JRWM says, nobody else paid in this week, so you just bought yourself a lucky dip anyway. And whaddya know! Winner winner. Then I’d feel able to tell everyone and share a little with whoever I wanted to, guilt free. Enjoy it!

MeinKraft · 05/05/2023 22:22

What you could do is tell them you won a smaller amount. Give them each £1k or something.

triplechocbrownie · 05/05/2023 22:23

Howmanysleepsnow · 05/05/2023 20:09

I’d say that anyone who wants to stay in the syndicate needs to pay money owed and this week/ months by tomorrow/ Sunday/ whenever. Then announce the win after the next draw

This - gives them a chance

BraveFaceScaredInside · 05/05/2023 22:25

Were the lucky dips on their behalf? Assuming they would pay you back for them? Or did you just buy tickets for 'you'?

raincamepouringdown · 05/05/2023 22:29

MrsMikeDrop · 05/05/2023 21:50

Shocking how dishonest people are on here (I'm not saying I wouldn't be tempted, but I wouldn't sell my soul for £20k)!

Surely you're talking about the people who didn't actually pay in towards the tickets who would still expect a cut...

Viviennemary · 05/05/2023 22:29

If its amsyndicate then OP needs to share the money otherwise theft.

HikingforScenery · 05/05/2023 22:30

Interesting religion your H has there.

No to playing the lottery but yes to being selfish and keeping the wins.

Of course you should share it, OP.

PToosher · 05/05/2023 22:34

Do you have a written syndicate agreement?

What happens in this situation should be set out in that.

If not, personally, I'd be inclined to tell them what's happened, that they haven't been paying in to the syndicate and you've had a lucky dip win, and what do they think you should do?
If I was one of them, I'd find it very hard to say 'I want a share of your win.'

Thegoodbadandugly · 05/05/2023 22:36

MrsMikeDrop · 05/05/2023 21:50

Shocking how dishonest people are on here (I'm not saying I wouldn't be tempted, but I wouldn't sell my soul for £20k)!

It's absolutely nothing to do with being dishonest, they did not pay for their tickets so therefore did not play.

LittleBlueBrioTrain · 05/05/2023 22:38

If they've not paid in and it was a lucky dip rather than regular reguers, they have zero way of knowing. I'd tell them in a few days that you won on a scratchcard.

slowquickstep · 05/05/2023 22:39

They didn't pay therefore they didn't play. Do not mention the syndicate again, then in six months say you have just had a win on a scratch card you bought.

Soapyspuds · 05/05/2023 22:39

We used to have one at work. Strict rules meant that money needed to be paid before a cut off otherwise you were not in the game.

In this case as it has been a few weeks then keep quiet. I would also wind up the syndicate too or get somebody else to run it. However make sure they cannot find out, tell nobody but your closest family.

Messyhair321 · 05/05/2023 22:40

The thing is, you have to live with yourself. If you feel comfortable keeping the money.. but I'm guessing you don't really because otherwise you wouldn't be asking the question..