Winning the lottery is probably the single most commonly shared dream of Americans. The amount of money given to lottery winners can buy a level of freedom that few people can understand. The problem is that for some people winning the lottery is the worst thing to happen.
Tragedy befalls lottery winners so often that people have started referring to these incidents as the “lottery curse.” It’s doubtful that said curse is real and that these tragedies result from the supernatural. The real culprit is usually a complication of greed, jealousy, and arrogance.
In many cases, the lottery winners are to blame for the unfortunate circumstance they experience. In others, the lottery winner is the victim of a crime that never would have occurred if they didn’t win the jackpot. For example:
- In 1984, 28-year-old Mike Wittkowski won $40 playing the Illinois Lottery. He would later receive a bomb threat to his home, constantly be harassed in bars by people asking him to pick up the tab and receive over a thousand letters begging him for money. Compared to others, he was fortunate that it didn’t escalate further.
- In 2006, Abraham Shakespeare won $31 million while living in Florida. A few years later, he was approached by a woman claiming to be writing a book about him. The two would establish a partnership as she eventually became his financial advisor. By 2009, she had stolen more than $1.8 million from Shakespeare, and he had disappeared. His body was found buried underneath concrete in the woman’s backyard.
- In 2015, 20-year-old forklift operator Craigory Burch Jr won $434,272 in a Georgia state lottery. Two months later, he was murdered by seven masked men during a home invasion. Authorities have said the Burch was a “pre-selected target” and that the robbery wasn’t random.
For these reasons (and plenty more), an estimated 83% of people wouldn’t even tell their own families if they won the lottery. The amount of people that would prefer for random strangers not to know they’ve won is only going to be higher.
Where Can Lottery Winners Remain Anonymous?
Staying anonymous can be much more complicated, depending on where you buy the winning ticket. There are currently 45 states where playing the lottery is legal. Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah are the only states that don’t currently have a lottery. The states that permit the lottery each have laws regarding how to claim a prize properly.
A few states, such as California, expressly forbid lottery winners from staying anonymous.
According to California disclosure laws, the lottery commission is legally required to publicize the winner’s full name and the name and location of the business that sold the ticket. You won’t be able to claim the prize unless you agree to these terms and provide this information.
The justification for such laws is that they allow for complete transparency. There have been quite a few examples of people attempting to rig the lottery in their favor. Eddie Tipton is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for committing this crime.
Releasing the name, hometown, and prize amount of the winners can reassure the public that everyone has an equal chance of winning.
The counterargument is that people are often targeted once this information becomes public knowledge. The lottery commission might not be releasing a winner's phone number or address, but it doesn't take long to discover this information online. The result could be another case like the few mentioned earlier.
Recently, a judge in Concord, New Hampshire, ruled in favor of a woman suing to keep her identity private after winning a $560 million jackpot. The ruling stated that the winner would be “subject to an alarming amount of harassment, solicitation, and other unwanted communications.”
The debate continues in various state houses across the country. Some believe that since lotteries are often paid through public funding and the profits contribute to public programs, the general public has a right to know who wins. Others believe the right to privacy shouldn’t be infringed just because someone has won a lottery.
The same protections offered to lottery winners will vary from state to state. A few states (Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont) allow lottery winners to stay anonymous by forming a trust to claim the prize money. The other states have different exceptions based on prize money, permission, and time.
These are the states that permit lottery winners to remain anonymous:
- Arizona. Winners of $600 prizes or more can stay anonymous for up to 90 days after the money is claimed. Winners of awards over $100,000 can keep their name confidential, but not the city or county where they live.
- Delaware. Winners of all prize amounts can request to stay anonymous.
- Florida. Winners of $250,000 prizes or more can stay anonymous for up to 90 days after the money is claimed. The name, city of residence, date won, game played, and amount won will then be released to a third party.
- Georgia. Winners of $250,000 prizes or more can request to stay anonymous.
- Illinois. Winners of $250,000 or more can request that their name and municipality remain anonymous. If they don’t make the request while claiming the prize, their name, home city, and amount won will be publicly announced.
- Kansas. Winners of all prize amounts can request to stay anonymous.
- Maryland. Winners of all prize amounts are automatically kept confidential. You’ll have to specifically give consent for your information to be publicly released.
- Minnesota. Winners of $10,000 prizes or more will remain anonymous unless they consent to release the information.
- Mississippi. Winners of all prize amounts are automatically kept confidential. You’ll have to specifically give consent for your information to be publicly released.
- Missouri. Winners of all prize amounts are automatically kept confidential. You’ll have to specifically give consent for your information to be publicly released.
- Montana. Winners of all prize amounts are automatically kept confidential. You’ll have to specifically give consent for your information to be publicly released.
- New Jersey. Winners of $1 million prizes or more can request to stay anonymous.
- North Dakota. Winners of all prize amounts will be allowed to stay anonymous or publicly release their information.
- Ohio. Winners of all prize amounts can request to stay anonymous.
- South Carolina. Winners of all prize amounts can't request to stay anonymous.
- South Dakota. Winners of scratch ticket games can remain anonymous regardless of the amount won. Jackpots for online games are considered to be public knowledge.
- Texas. Winners of $1 million or more can request to stay anonymous.
- Virginia. Winners of $10 million or more can request to stay anonymous.
- West Virginia. Winners of $1 million or more can request to stay anonymous.
- Wyoming. Winners of all prize amounts can request to stay anonymous.
How Can You Stay Anonymous After Claiming Your Prize?
The ability to take care of your friends and family is one of the best parts of winning the lottery. However, you’ll quickly discover that you have way more friends and family than you think. Many of them are people you never even met, but that won’t stop them from harassing you for a slice of the lottery pie.
Even if you live in a state where you can stay anonymous, you should still take a few steps to protect your identity.
Technology allows for information to travel at lightning speed in the modern age. It won’t take long for people to figure out who won the lottery if you buy a car that costs several million dollars.
These are a few tips that can help you stay anonymous after you’ve claimed your winnings:
Only Tell People That Need To Know
Winning the lottery will forever change your life and the people that are closest to you. You’ll likely be tempted to scream from the rooftop that you’ve won the lottery and spread the good news. There will be plenty of time to celebrate your good fortune later.
For now, it’s best only to tell the people in your life that you need to know and that you can trust.
Delete Social Media Accounts
Social media accounts have made it extremely easy to stay connected with others. It’s also made it easy for strangers to learn much about you.
Lottery winners are frequently the target of people looking to increase their bank accounts. Providing personal information online will make it easier for them to find and harass you.
Change Your Phone Number and Address
You can expect your phone to ring off the hook when the news spreads that you’ve won the lottery. Anyone you’ve ever met will suddenly be dying to get back in touch with you.
People claiming to be family members from all over the country will start lining up at your door. Changing your phone number and address before anyone finds out you’ve won is an easy way to avoid these disturbances.
Set Up an LLC To Make Large Purchases
A few states allow LLCs to claim the prize of lottery winners anonymously. Even if you’re not in one of these states, you should consider forming an LLC or trust to help protect your anonymity.
By doing this, you’ll be able to protect the identity of your assets and keep your name off of purchases. This way, you can buy your dream home without worrying about your name and the address being made public.
Hire a Financial Advisor To Manage Funds
The amount of money you’ll suddenly have access to can quickly become overwhelming. Very few people have ever managed bank accounts with eight, nine, or ten digits. The tax implications of winning the lottery alone can be enough to make your head spin.
It’s best to leave your finances to the professionals. You’ll have money to hire the best and most trusted financial advisors. Use it to protect your money and avoid any IRS trouble.
Wear a Disguise for Public Events
Wearing a disguise might sound a little ridiculous, but it can go a long way toward keeping your identity safe. Some states require lottery winners to appear or talk to the press publicly.
If you live in one of these states, you should consider altering your appearance as much as possible. You don’t have to dress up like it’s Halloween. Simply wearing a hat, sunglasses, baggy clothes, and growing out/shaving your beard should be enough.
Stay Anonymous and Enjoy Your Winnings Privately
Winning the lottery and having the news go public will make you rich and famous. It’s easy to daydream about the pleasures of being rich and famous. But the reality is that it's often a nightmare.
You’re much more likely to be harassed and targeted as a lottery winner, even by people you’ve known your entire life.
The easiest way to avoid dealing with these issues is to stay anonymous. Depending on the state where you buy your ticket, that might be next to impossible. If you live in these states, you’ll have to work much harder to keep a low profile.
By following some of the tips listed above, you can enjoy the pros of being rich without the cons of being famous.
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