to think going public with a lottery win is bonkers?

[WhataPlank]

Just watched a little YT documentary following the lives of lottery winners and I was blown away by how many people reach out to lottery winners to beg money; not just friends and family, ex-colleagues or even ex-friends, but complete strangers with sob stories (both genuine and fake).

Is there some kind of incentive offered by the lottery people to go public? It's obviously in the organiser's interest as its all publicity, but surely there's nothing in it for the winner but absolute misery?
There must be some kind of bonus for announcing it, because why would you want everyone to know!?

The lottery winners I know are very happy, living quietly off the interest. Living life well and making good investments.

I don't think you even have to be rich to experience this though. Some people are demanding to others regardless.

how many do you know? And how much they won?

I think for some people as well if they had a pretty beaten down past such as bullied in school, bullied at work or looked down on for whatever reason, winning the lottery and going public would mean in your face bitches. This is my theory anyway otherwise why the hell would you announce it and become a target for begging friends and acquaintances and worse become a target to organised crime? To be in control is bs, you can control your narrative if you're careful with it systematically spend it and create a facade bit by bit without raising suspicions.

One couple for definite - chatted about it once in very broad terms.

Another couple I suspect. Could have been a massive inheritance though. Seems unlikely mind.

Ive never asked, nor would I. They are nice people and happy with their lot. I don’t need to know how much they won, I genuinely couldn’t care less. They are good people and I’m happy their lives are easier.

I think different people have different motivations.

The hardest people to keep a lottery win from is probably your teens! …

how much they won?>

A guy in his 20s won the lotto in my hometown in 2002, it was a small town so everybody found out. Was about 4 million quid. They still work and have pretty normal lives. Their relatives often moaned to me that they were mean and didn't share.

My aunt's colleague won the lotto, no idea how much but she wanted it kept secret but her brother told everyone and she became alienated as she didn't trust anyone. It brought her no joy. But that's my aunt's version, I have never met the woman.

Yeah I would put £20 notes in library books

Keeping it secret with your family is always going to be difficult. The 'inheritance' or 'sold a business' stories won't necessarily work if you are fairly close to your extended family.

My feeling is that if we won big we would go away for a week, to get our heads round it and to make our plans as to how we would share it out. We would then arrange to meet up with people to tell them we had won X and we would be giving them Y. We would also explain who else we would be gifting money to and what our outline future plans were.

We are fortunate, our extended family is not widespread and all are sensible people. We would leave them to decide who they wanted to share their good fortune with.

Other families are different so will make different decisions.

I would also give to others but you can still enjoy the money yourself too, it's not either/or. Thats part of the reason I'd like to win- to bless others.

But, I'd also live a nice life for myself too- there is nothing wrong with enjoying it as long as you don't allow it to change you as a person.

I lost my mum young and had a modest inheritance and I still had people telling me I was "lucky" and had work colleagues hinting that I could "lend" them money. These werent people who genuinely needed it either- they were on a good wage but just financial irresponsible and regularly ripped through the money they had spending it on designer stuff, cosmetic procedures and fancy holidays. I told them no. I am not spending the only money I had from my mum so they can buy lip fillers and a Fendi handbag.

There is no incentive at all. Financial guidance and support is provided regardless of what you decide to do.

How did your colleagues find out about your modest inheritance ? It’s not something I would ever discuss with them.

The only stories I've seen are 'XXXXX euromillions/ Lotto won by someone in the U.K. in. Was it you? If you know who the winner is email us here .....'

Then they have a filler of an article showing the cars or houses you could buy if you are the winner!

People often unwisely blab when it happens - the shock/desire to share overwhelms them. How many middle class people play the lottery? Would this demographic statistically do things differently?

I think for many people, it's just too exciting and big news to keep secret

And, people are indiscreet eg your financial adviser might tell his girlfriend that a client in their town had a big win, girlfriend tells her friend, friend tells her hairdresser, hairdresser tells next client, next client works in a travel agent and took the booking for a ££££ holiday etc. All un-named, but people might put two and two together

How did your colleagues find out about your modest inheritance ? It’s not something I would ever discuss with them

I didnt tell them straight out, it came out slowly over time when we were talking about parents. They found out my mum had died. Then, later on we were talking about mortgages and how hard it is to get one and I mentioned that I was glad I was able to put a deposit down otherwise I never could have afforded it- it came out then (I didnt disclose the amount or anything). Looking back I absolutely should not have mentioned it and I regret it but everyone was sharing personal stuff and I didnt think it would lead to people asking me for money.

Now, I know better. Thats why I will never ever tell anyone about winning the lottery.

And, people are indiscreet eg your financial adviser might tell his girlfriend that a client in their town had a big win

They could get into massive trouble for that though- GDPR etc

There's no way I'd go public, whatever anyone advised me. I'm a terribly soft touch, I'd be skint in a year!

It could be very difficult tracking down the source of a leak, particularly in a small area. A lot of people can put 2 and 2 together.

I am guessing that the people who say they would be able to keep a big lottery win a secret don't live in small towns.

My guess is the lottery companies swoop on the winners when they are really giddy and encourage publicity.

Nerd moment… did you know the Lotto is no longer Camelot?
A few weeks ago it switched over to the other organisation that won the bid last year ( or the year before? ).
Still operated from the old Camelot offices though. I wonder if there was a TUPE of employees?

Right, as you were!

@tanstaafl there was. It was part of the license deal.

It could be very difficult tracking down the source of a leak, particularly in a small area. A lot of people can put 2 and 2 together

True, but if you work as a financial advisor, surely its not that rare to come across people with a lot of money? I mean, if you need a financial advisor in the first place its because you have money to invest, buy large purchases, put money in trusts/savings/bonds/stocks etc. Therefore, coming across someone who has a lot of money shouldnt really be so shocking or surprising to someone working in that field that they would feel the need to gossip about it- it would be a daily occurrance for them to deal with lots of money so would therefore be relatively uneventful. Also, if you use the financial advisors recommended to you by the lottery there is no way they'd be able to blab as they would know how serious that is and could be sued. Also, if they regularly deal with lottery winners it would be no big deal to them after the 3rd or 4th time

Lots of posteres saying they would keep it very low key for 6 months, but I imagine it could be very hard continuing to go to work in a shit job to keep up the cover. First cold rainy dark morning and I'd be tempted to stay in bed and tell work to get lost. Or if you work in a job where holidays have to be booked in advance (teacher etc), you can't just swan off for a couple of weeks somewhere warm to secretly celebrate your win.

I'd tell no one! You'd be treated so differently by everyone.