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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:
Watchthedoormat · 05/05/2023 20:11

They didn't play the lottery that week- you did.
You won.
Enjoy.

ChristmasLightsLover · 05/05/2023 20:11

No pay. No play.

Enjoy your winnings. Don't tell anyone.

randomuser2019 · 05/05/2023 20:12

This reply has been withdrawn

Removed at poster's request due to privacy concerns.

NotCopingWell1 · 05/05/2023 20:13

If no one paid I don't think it was a syndicate, it was your ticket.

I wouldn't broadcast it though. Just say you're not doing it now as no one paid for a bit and then maybe win yourself in a month or two if you want to tell people.

Cattenberg · 05/05/2023 20:13

If they kept forgetting to pay despite reminders, then I suppose it’s all yours.

Whether I kept it all or not would probably depend on my relationship with these family members and how much the others and I needed the money.

If you do decide to keep it all, then for goodness sake don’t tell them. They’ll kick themselves and it will create no end of bad feeling.

Original poster
swimmingforCB · 05/05/2023 20:13

It’s a difficult state of affairs because we are all fairly skint apart from one of us (that husband and wife), they’re well off.

So I would like to help out my SIL who’s single with kids, and skint, but nobody else as MIL is fairly secure too, although single.

H is against playing the lottery for religious reasons but doesn’t say anything about all of us playing. So he doesn’t get a say in my eyes and he has thankfully agreed although thinks we should spend it wisely on ourselves

OP posts:
Original poster
swimmingforCB · 05/05/2023 20:14

NotCopingWell1 · 05/05/2023 20:13

If no one paid I don't think it was a syndicate, it was your ticket.

I wouldn't broadcast it though. Just say you're not doing it now as no one paid for a bit and then maybe win yourself in a month or two if you want to tell people.

Problem with that is people know you’re lying as you can tell from lottery website if someone has won that week!

OP posts:
rose69 · 05/05/2023 20:15

Say nothing. Stop doing the syndicate and have a small win in a months time so you can share something with your sister in law

Runningslow · 05/05/2023 20:15

What Howmanysleeps said.
How do they pay? If it’s cash you have no proof in the future that they missed this week so they may think you scammed them on a week they did pay.

Thequeenofwishfulthinking · 05/05/2023 20:16

I’d still share it. They will find out and morally it’s the right thing to do. It’s your family - do you not want them to benefit from this?
If you’d sent something to confirm that from now on non payment for say more than a week leads to X no longer being in the syndicate then I’d say keep it but you didn’t.
This is why syndicates should always sign something especially when it’s family and friends.
I couldn’t keep it personally but it’s your call.

Aquafernspindle · 05/05/2023 20:16

Surely this is just the same as you buying a ticket yourself. No-one wanted to do a syndicate week so you bought your own ticket. You owe nobody.

Original poster
swimmingforCB · 05/05/2023 20:17

Runningslow · 05/05/2023 20:15

What Howmanysleeps said.
How do they pay? If it’s cash you have no proof in the future that they missed this week so they may think you scammed them on a week they did pay.

I have proof purely because of the date the ticket was purchased? So there’s no way they could think I’ve scammed them as the ticket is dated

OP posts:
edwinbear · 05/05/2023 20:17

Say nothing. Stop doing the syndicate and have a small win in a months time so you can share something with your sister in law

I’d do this.

tweener · 05/05/2023 20:18

Do they actually know you've won?

Colinfromaccounts · 05/05/2023 20:18

What’s more important to you, your family relationships or this money?

because if they find out, it will damage your relationships.

it could be argued that you wouldn’t have been playing for the family syndicate, so everyone should share in it. They’ve all been paying for however long you’ve been playing, they forgot to pay for a couple of weeks but have been paying overall. Your chances of winning will have risen by playing however many lines for however long, which you wouldn’t have done if it weren’t for the family syndicate and you were just playing your own tickets.

I think you should share

Aquafernspindle · 05/05/2023 20:19

Did you pay with the syndicate money aka they are running at your expense or did you just buy, say 4 tickets?

coxesorangepippin · 05/05/2023 20:19

You bought a lucky dip for yourself

They are not even part of the equation

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

GreyCarpet · 05/05/2023 20:20

Watchthedoormat · 05/05/2023 20:11

They didn't play the lottery that week- you did.
You won.
Enjoy.

Exactly what I was going to say!

Runningslow · 05/05/2023 20:20

swimmingforCB · 05/05/2023 20:17

I have proof purely because of the date the ticket was purchased? So there’s no way they could think I’ve scammed them as the ticket is dated

Show quote history

Yes but if they find out in the future about the win, can you prove that they didn’t pay that particular week?

Original poster
swimmingforCB · 05/05/2023 20:20

tweener · 05/05/2023 20:18

Do they actually know you've won?

No

OP posts:
KoalaKube · 05/05/2023 20:22

OP, you have no idea if any of your family members have bought a ticket outside of the syndicate, and if they too have had a win. If it wasn’t bought as part of the syndicate it’s yours. Have you previously paid upfront for non payers and they’ve paid you back, when there was no win ?

tweener · 05/05/2023 20:22

swimmingforCB · 05/05/2023 20:20

No

Show quote history

Maybe not morally right then but I'd just keep it a secret. You'd chased them for the money and they've not paid, so they didn't have a share in those draws in my opinion.

GreyCarpet · 05/05/2023 20:22

They will find out and morally it’s the right thing to do

What?

Morally, the right thing to do is to pay at the agreed point if you want to he part of a syndicate!

winewolfhowls · 05/05/2023 20:22

coxesorangepippin · 05/05/2023 20:19

You bought a lucky dip for yourself

They are not even part of the equation

Absolutely this! Although you're a lovely person to think about your skint relative. If it was me I would have a quiet word with her and say you won a much smaller amount and would like to treat her. Then even if it gets back to the others they don't feel too disgruntled.

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