If you won the lottery would you go public?

[Rollcage]

Tiggsy said:

This is all pretty simple.

Anyone sensible and moderately intelligent would not tell the public.

Lotto owners love the public to know so try to get you to go pubic.

Typical lotto player is not sensible or moderately intelligent so easily convinced.

That is rather a sweeping statement, is it not?

FWIW, absolute insanity declaring to the world you are suddenly £56m richer, especially with 3 kids.

The fewer people that know, the better. I had always thought about explaining the wealth by saying I had patented or designed something. It does happen!

[anonymous-user]

Those people who won live about 200 meters from my student house, the road has been full up with the press all day!

But to answer the question, no I wouldn't want it to be made public. You would end up with people begging for money or trying to steal it left right and centre

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 15th February 20:37

[XB70]

I cannot understand what made them decide to go public.

They have now more liquid cash than most 'millionaires' have ever seen and more than virtually everyone else would earn in a couple of lifetimes.

They can do pretty much whatever they want, including going to the International Space Station and still have around £40,000,000 left and buy anything that takes their fancy but no, this is not enough.

There has to be an element of gloating in this.....that photo of them on the throne, waving champagne and clutching the cheque made me think what fools they were. Their children are now at risk FFS.

Only three parties would ever know if I won:

Camelot
Me and Mrs XB70
Coutts

The press can dig but if they don't know where, age, occupation, names etc how can we be found.

I have to admit, it would be difficult going to Goodwood Breakfasts knowing you could buy most of the car park without hesitation.

"Err...yeah....Flemke loaned it to me....nice chap!"

[Deva Link]

Wonder how long they've been together (on the news she seemed unsure of how uch travelling he'd done) and whether they're divorced from previous partners - there may be some hasty rejigging of asset division going on!

One lottery winner interview I read said a big win does solve all your previous problems - but it brings a whole set of new ones.

[Dracoro]

Stupidlikeafox said:

Jasandjules said:

ewenm said:

Perhaps he enjoys his work...

Does such a person really exist?

...but doctors must derive a fair amount of enjoyment (probably more like satisfaction) from their work

LOL

I know a number of doctors (my wife being one of them). I think they'd all quit if they won the lottery - it really is quite st in the NHS.

They get the satisfying part of the job but with that goes so much crap, mainly driven from poor staffing, (mis)management and government intervention/targets etc.

I'm amazed more doctors (and nurses etc.) don't quit. Actually many have, or left for other countries, gone the "easy" route and become a GP etc. There is a serious lack of doctors in hospitals, firefighting staff levels with loads of disinterested locums (that's assuming they can get any in) etc.

Anyway, gone off topic a bit

I'd stay quiet, definitely. I don't see a single benefit of going public. Move to a well to do area and no-one bats an eyelid at rich people (as most people will buy big houses/flash cars etc.). Win the lottery and stay in some estate or whatever and word will get around when you buy that Ferrari

Edited by Dracoro on Monday 15th February 23:40

[EDLT]

Stupidlikeafox said:

And people that work in computer game design must enjoy it, as it's more like a paid hobby for them.

I can think of some people who'd quit if they won:
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/RockstarSpouse/2010...

Back on topic: I wouldn't go public, instead I'd dye my skin orange, move to Beverley Hills and fade into the background.

[Tiggsy]

Rollcage said:

Tiggsy said:

This is all pretty simple.

Anyone sensible and moderately intelligent would not tell the public.

Lotto owners love the public to know so try to get you to go pubic.

Typical lotto player is not sensible or moderately intelligent so easily convinced.

That is rather a sweeping statement, is it not?

Of course...but still, like many sweeping statements, largely factual.

[The Moose]

Most banks will advise families about all manor of nasty things such as K&R in these situations. It's hard to believe anyone would listen and not act accordingly. Maybe they just know best?

Cheers

The Moose

[deviant]

I wouldnt tell the general public at all and I dont think I would ever reveal to anyone exactly how much I won.

My parents would be given enough to retire in comfort but would not be told my winning figure. I dont know that a cash lump would be sensible, my parents are good with money but I think they would be more comfortable if they just had a 'wage' deposited in their account each week so they dont have to worry about looking after the money.

My sister would have a set of keys for a new house, this would leave her mortgage free for life and again would not be told how much I won.

I would do something for my closest friends. I have a few friends but 2 of them are pretty much family to me so I would want to see them comfortable. I would not be buying them cars or anything as they have ongoing costs they could not afford so I would do the practical thing and pay off their mortgages and send them on holiday.

I would not be angry with any them for telling other people how they suddenly came in to some money, I would never expect them to lie on my behalf.

The only condition I would put on everyone buy my parents is that this is a one time offer. If they wanted to sell the house and take the money then they can do as they please but dont expect to be given another pay out.

I would not stay in the house I am in now and I would tell a bit of a porky when people ask which area I am moving to. The people already living in the rich areas are not going to bat an eye lid anyway and probably enjoy their own anonimity to much to be nosey and ask who I am.

[Rollcage]

I certainly wouldnt go public, but would tell my parents. I dont think I would tell anyone what the amount was. I would buy my parents a nice apartment somewhere, as they dont really need the hassle of a garden, and a couple of decent but not flash cars - a runaround and a cruiser would suffice.

My daughter's mum would get a house to live in and another to provide an income for my daughter, and set her up for life, all being well - and I suppose I would get her a decent car as well!

I would set my mate up in business and make sure he had enough capital and equipment to get going properly - I am sure he would make a go of it from there on in.

Move to somewhere decent in the same town - plenty of million+ properties so I could blend in, but not sure how I could keep a couple of truly decent cars secret! It would have to be explained somehow to those that ask.

I would then have quite a pleasant time deciding how to best make use of the rest of the money!

[Evangelion]

I think I would tell absolutely no-one. And I mean no-one.

[Pothole]

parakitaMol. said:

ProfessorPeach said:

You could then sit on a thrown and have a big queue of people line up to beg.

What is a thrown? is it a casually discarded rug, over a chair... like this:



Odd. But I guess if that's your perception of having a seat of power then hey, who are we to question.

Animal or faux?

damn you! I resisted commenting, but now you've gone and done it: Animal of course, the most exo'ic & endangered animal you could possibly come up with, Mountain Gorilla and Ethiopian Wolf with Alagoas Curassow and Brazilian Merganser trim?

[BoRED S2upid]

No chance you would have to be dumb. You wouldn't be able to walk down the street without people begging for handouts your life would be misserable.

[Pork]

I think if you won big BIG, you'd almost have to go public. There'd be a bloody witch hunt otherwise!

A smaller win, I would not go public. I would imagine Camelot like poeple going public, and suspect they advise poeple to do so, but I think it would cause hasle. Stealth weath is the way. And my, wouldnt my new business venture do very well....whatever venture that might be!

[bigfatnick]

I wouldnt go public, if i won the euro millions i'd tell mates i'd won the regular lottery, once i'd bought them a fleet of m3/rangey sports i'd tell them i've just got them enough to live off the interest. But i'd try still help my mates/family. If one of your mates won the lottery, wouldnt you hope they help out with any debts/ problems you had?

that said, if i won the regular lottery, i'd tell everyone i won sub 1million. maybe pay off my mates debts and sort out a few holidays and stuff for them.

[Galsia]

If I won the lottery jackpot the first thing I would do is go out and buy a safe. Then I would put it under the floorboards of my house and put the winning ticket inside. I'd contact Camelot in about a month or two after the interest from the media had died down. I'd still go to work and live normally. It would be bloody hard but would be the best thing to do.

Of course when I collected my winnings I wouldn't go public.

[Justayellowbadge]

Galsia said:

If I won the lottery jackpot the first thing I would do is go out and buy a safe. Then I would put it under the floorboards of my house and put the winning ticket inside. I'd contact Camelot in about a month or two after the interest from the media had died down. I'd still go to work and live normally. It would be bloody hard but would be the best thing to do.

Of course when I collected my winnings I wouldn't go public.

You don't think '£56M unclaimed prize still out there!' 'Only 2 days to collect!!!' type headlines would increase the media interest in the ultimate winner?

[V8mate]

Bing o said:

I'd like to start a thread called "Bing o, are those your Maclarens"

Or a more general thread called 'Check out my custard'.

[Galsia]

Justayellowbadge said:

Galsia said:

If I won the lottery jackpot the first thing I would do is go out and buy a safe. Then I would put it under the floorboards of my house and put the winning ticket inside. I'd contact Camelot in about a month or two after the interest from the media had died down. I'd still go to work and live normally. It would be bloody hard but would be the best thing to do.

Of course when I collected my winnings I wouldn't go public.

You don't think '£56M unclaimed prize still out there!' 'Only 2 days to collect!!!' type headlines would increase the media interest in the ultimate winner?

I do, which is why I'd wait until its out of the media interest but collect well before the deadline. A lottery ticket is valid for 180 days. I'd contact Camelot after 100.

This always seemed pretty sensible to me (PAGE IS WORKSAFE BUT REST OF SITE ISN'T!):

http://www.rotten.com/library/culture/lottery-winn...

Edited by Galsia on Tuesday 16th February 18:58

[Muzzer]

Pork said:

I think if you won big BIG, you'd almost have to go public. There'd be a bloody witch hunt otherwise!

It's exactly that attitude that makes people who actually win go public, and one of the reasons Camelot use to encourage you to go in front of the media.

They could Witch Hunt all they wanted - I'd be on a beach on a small island in the Caribbean straight after the money had been transferred