If you won the lottery, would you go public?

[Frosty6611]

If you won the jackpot on the lottery would you go public? I think i’d just tell my close friends and family and start a new life somewhere.

Not a chance would I go public. You're insane to.

I think a friend of my mums won money. My mum was saying about how the woman was managing to afford brand new sofas, expensive gadgets for her kids, new cars etc, despite being on a lower wage than my mum and a single mother. But I pointed out that either she is maybe paying for it by credit cards (although I don't think she would) or maybe she's won money/got an inheritance and doesn't want to say. I wouldnt either if I were her, you'll just get people asking for money. Best to stay quiet. I doubt it was a big sum she won even if she did. Who knows, it's her life.

My aunt would be in the car as soon as she knew we won if we did, looking for us to give her some for her cigarettes and chocolate.

I would tell nobody because I know I can achieve that. Human greed and the need for drama means other people are not going to keep your secrets for you, end of. Enormous bank credits don't frighten Coutts and they would not want to lose the franchise from Camelot over a leak.

It would be nicer if there were more prizes of lower value to share the big jackpots our more and benefit more people, but I guess lottery owners know what side their bread is buttered.

I definitely wouldn’t tell anyone. If I won sufficient I’d just bank the money at coutts I’d perhaps tell people I’d won 1 million. If we won enough We would move to the coast, tell everyone we were using the money to start a hotel business there. The hotel would be very child and dog friendly. Free holidays would be available for people using our local children’s hospice. The hotel would be run by staff to use as a front - no one would see our waterfront estate 😁. The hotel might well be “sold”
At a future date to a developer at an amazing gain! pay off brothers mortgage. Sort some stuff out for parents. I’d put large amounts in a secret trust for niece and DS. Really go for it with ivf so DS could have a much longed for sibling. Buy another dog😁. Holiday more. I regularly scour rightnoveclooking for suitable properties in our preferred area. Unfortunately I have yet to find something I really love. Must have uninterrupted sea views, have character and history. Think there’s a couple I could make perfect though. I have also sorted which school DS would go to. I’ve been considering boats, would o have something big or something more nippy and practical. Car wise prob just get an Audi Q7 or rangerover (but not the one that looks like something heavy has been dropped on it). I’d sell my house at a knock down price to the most chavy anti social family I could find just to piss off my tosspot neighbours.

"When you won and didn't tell anyone you did. Knowing you have more money then you could ever spend and that you could actually buy anything you want makes you a bit paranoid. You don't want to expose yourself, so drive a battered old car. You mistrust your own instincts when it comes to making new friends, you demand confidentiality constantly from wealth management companies. And you are convinced everyone knows even though they can't possibly .
The Best bit, however, is authorising anonymous donations to really worthy causes or setting up trust funds to help keep charity's running etc. Makes you feel like Santa! "

So I'm told!!!

No way. Not even to immediate family members. If you had won 1 million which is not much for today's money and give a sibling say 100k, trust me they will want more because they think they deserve more. People are disgustingly greedy.

I wouldn't go public. I'd even work out my notice at work, with a vague reference to another job.

I'd also be careful with the money. Yes, I'd buy a house, and a new car, but I'm good at keeping stuff to myself, and so are the DCs, so we'd be good.

If you had won 1 million which is not much for today's money and give a sibling say 100k, trust me they will want more

That depends entirely on the person.

If I won euromillions money, I would tell all my friends and family, because I would give them all a load of money! My friendship group consists of people I've know since I was born – I'd never keep it from them! Same with my family!

I don't believe any of my family or close friends would ask for anything more than I would give them. Not for a second. And I'd be quite comfortable saying fuck off to any more distant friends that tried it on tbh.

Gross generalisation, Brew. Every member of my family would be absolute thrilled to be handed a six figure sum and definitely wouldn't be asking for more.

No way. I didn't even tell anyone when I inherited some money (substantially less than a lotto win!).

I'd probably tell people I won a million or something, pay for a big, big fancy family holiday with all my siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews and say I tied the rest up in investments and bought a nice holiday home/pay off my mortgage. I honestly don't know what I'd do with anything more than a million anyway, that's still an insane amount of money.

I would tell people I’d won 100 thousand. I’d help family and friends privately asking them not to tell it was me.

I think Camelot introduce you to other lotto winners if you go public. I read somewhere saying that other lotto winners became the only people who truly understood them.

No I wouldn't. However I don't know how people keep it a secret.
Hope I get the chance to find out, though.

God no. I told 1 friend that I had a couple of thousand due to an inheritence and suddenly she needed to borrow money.

No I wouldn't go public. I wouldn't tell dc either. I've just started a business and I think I would drip money in under the pretence of a business loan then the subsequent success and expansion of the business, buy house etc off the back of that.

A small but immaculate home, with cleaner!

That's my true dream anyway, to succeed in my field so it's kind of the plan anyway, though it'll take longer than an overnight lottery win!

No way would I ever go public. I reckon I could hide a win of £1m pretty well. Once you’re in the £3-5m plus bracket I think you’re lifestyle would change so much it’d be harder to hide. The £50m plus amounts are a different kettle of fish entirely. With a huge amount, I’d set up a charitable foundation and be on the board or possibly consider working in an exec role. I think you’d need some serious advice at that level of winnings as life would never be the same again and I’d have thought it would be hard to spend it without setting up a charity or business of some sort or giving away a lot.

I actually don’t know I’d want to win huge amounts. £3m would do me nicely. I could give up work, do some amazing holidays, have more time for children etc. With £50m I’d feel like I’d have to do something more worthy and that would take me away from my nice simple life and holidays.

I don't know why people go public. I think Camelot puts the pressure on as it's good publicity and only offers help and financial advice if you go public.

Luckily I come from a family of accountants, so we're all pretty sensible with money!

We're all in agreement that if anyone wins it would be split 4 ways between me, my parents, and my brother.

No way.

DH and I have discussed this, we already live the house we're in, it's large and we don't need it to be any larger so we probably wouldn't move, so we could probably get away with telling just a couple of select people. we'd get a few holiday homes though and pay our DC's school fees (they're in private) for the rest of their school lives and just take holidays every now and then as usual. I only work 2 days a week in a job I love; I'd carry on doing that. Would be easy

And I agree I'd rather win £2m than £70m. That much money scares me and I don't think any good can ever come from it

Not a chance

Heck no. No one would ever treat you the same again and you'd be plagued by scroungers.

No way would I tell a soul. I've got a plan worked out for when the impossible happens:

Pay off my mortgage
Buy a holiday home abroad
Buy a holiday home UK
Buy a second home in my home town
Buy houses for siblings &/or pay off their debts
Upgrade car for newer model bot nowt fancy
Still work but go part time after a year.

All my plans I'll implement gradually so as not to attract attention.

I'd get a cleaner in weekly. That would be my extravagance and I'd take my elderly neighbour out for our weekly coffee and a gossip session at waitrose instead of our homes.

@TiffinBox, I'd get a cleaner in daily!

And pay for one for my elderly neighbour, too!

All my plans I'll implement gradually so as not to attract attention

But how would you buy houses for your siblings and pay off their debts without raising questions?

I’d not tell a soul. Most of my family are secure, although I’d love to eradicate loans and give house deposits to the youngsters.
I’d do that anonymously, perhaps ask the student loans company to take anonymous payments directly. They’d assume it had come from parents-in-law.

Christ NO!! I just cannot understand why people do it.

I would never go public. Never tell the kids neither!