Uncle Jim & Rundown...you are so right.  Being in FL, I never thought about anonymity being a choice.  Why would anyone want to have his photo all over the internet and on the news if he could just quietly walk away?  Keep in mind that it's also a holiday, so I think the lottery offices are all closed.  Most of the state & federal buildings here are shut.  Although I'd deal with it if I ever win a lot of money, being able to remain anonymous would be a real plus.

Now that he is plastered all over the news and internet, he will need some magic to avoid the dreaded pitfalls.

Nevertheless, I hope he chooses cash option and does not have financial problems later in life...

We can't make any assumptions about whether or not this guy will end up losing his wealth. Who cares if he has people asking for handouts? It would happen anyway regardless if he exposed himself. Like I've said before, even if you claim anonymously, people will see the new house, the new car, the new home theater, the new clothes, the new watch, and the new whatever and know that person is loaded. People will still find out. I wish more people would understand that it's not about whether or not a lot of people know you have a lot of money, it's about whether or not you can say no without giving it a second thought. A lot of people know Bill Gates is rich, and a lot of people hit him up for money, but I'm sure he knows how to say no. The fact is, there are rich people who get hit up for money everyday, and they are able to say no. Just because he's a lottery winner doesn't mean the same thing doesn't apply. If you want to claim anonymously to cut back the exposure SOME, then that's ok, but don't think none of that wealth is going to be exposed. The ability to say no is more important than the amount of exposure you receive.

 classic story

if hes into nature magic

he be fine in hes own power"the magic will protect him LMAO"

now, any bets on he if get fatter 

sense now he can eat anything he wants 24,7

also if magic works why dont it have a spell or whatever for losing some damn Weight,

First...There was Jack!

Then came...Dave and Shawna!

Now there's...Bunky!

Hey!  Who am I kidding?  The Bunkaroo will be fine!  He made a deal with his Pagan Gods to win the Lottery!  They'll no doubt protect him from the pitfalls in spite of his own stupidity.  I should apologize for pointing out what a knucklehead he is.

Dear Bunky,

Congratulations on your magic lottery spell.  Enjoy your winnings and may the farce be with you.

Warmest regards,

Uncle Jim

PS Could you spot me a couple of mil?  I'd like to open a combination Bingo Hall/Health Food Store/Cosmic Observatory.  

Gee, glad to know this bunch is so supportive of those who do what they wish they could do.  I'm sure he would be more worthy of his winning if he were thin, handsome, and christian. 

The fact remains that he won, Wiccan or not.  While he may have been wiser to chose the "anonymous" route, you have to credit him with being willing to put himself out there to help people understand his faith,  which is constantly misunderstood, lambasted (look it up in your Funk and Wagnalls), ridiculed, and disrespected.  Don't knock it until you do a little research; he IS fine in his own power; the magic WILL protect him, and HE'll laugh all the way to the bank.  When's the last time YOU did that?

Chill out, wyndechilde.  Everyone is just having a little fun.  That's what happens when someone chooses to expose himself to the media.   I made the same silly puns about cheese so don't have a melt down.

By the way, I've paid a few people for Reiki healings.  Never did a darn thing for me except take my money at the end of the session.  I guess I can't criticize since doctors do it to.

I  know  if  my  neighbor  (pretend)  hit  for  a  billion  and  he  lived  next  door  my  relationship  with  them  woud  not  change .....I  have  not  had  nor  desire  to  follow  up  someones  behind  ,  just  because  they  won  some  money  ...thats  there  own  business not  mine  :

people every-where  need  to  get  a  life  and  make  there  own  million  dollars:;

I  see  people  in  town  begging  for  money  24 hr.  a day  everyday  the  same  ole  people  instead  of  finding  a  solution  to  their  delimia .....I  am  sure  this  guy  told  only  a  handfulll  of  people  and  those  same   PEOPLE  got  Big  Mouths .......

  Thank you, wyndechilde, for speaking the voice of reason.

  For the foremost collection of lottery experts on the net, we are very quick to unleash our venomous barbs on those who have achieved what we most covet.

  Uncle Jim, I'm surprised that you would count this fortunate soul among the numbers of Jack Whittaker, David Edwards and their ilk. After all, we have no evidence to indicate that he won't invest his money wisely, so let's give him the benefit of the doubt and wish him continued good luck and success. We should at least delay our attacks until he's had a chance to claim his money.

  At his age, he's probably better off taking the annuity; it'll give him a better chance to become accustomed to his wealth. He's an accountant, so I believe that will give him an advantage over other major jackpot winners who have no concept of money and how to utilize it. I'm guessing he'll do all right; I'm sure he has his own reasons for his public exposition. If I ever won that kind of money, I think the first thing I'd  do is to find the county prosecutor and expose myself to him (that's an inside joke for those of you who know what I went through last summer).

  If he chooses to believe the Wiccan gods were responsible for his good fortune, who are we to say that they weren't and, more importantly, why do we feel such a burning need to dispute it? I can't speak for my fellow members, but I don't practice Wicca, and I've never won $49 million. Maybe that's only a coincidence, and maybe it isn't. Regardless, he won and we didn't; that's our bear to cross.

  I would like to believe that my peers here on the forum would be happy for me if I'm ever lucky enough to match all six numbers on the same line. However, the more posts I read by different authors, the more I'm inclined to believe I'll be attacked and condemned by the very people who made it possible. 

  See if you can finish this adage:

  "With friends like you, ...?"

am sure we'll find out soon enough what will become of him

so grab some  and enjoy the spectical

besides am sure what ever god/demons etc etc he prayed to will come for thar share soon enough and We'll be thar to laugh and poke fun @ him

Jim,

Let me be clear.  I am thrilled to death to see people win the lottery.  I love it!  But when I see people like Bunky acting like an idiot...BEFORE...he's validated his ticket let alone claimed his prize I tend to believe he's already going down the wrong road and...THAT...I hate to see.

You say there's no  evidence that he won't invest his money wisely.  Good grief Jim he's buying cars, holding court and talking about investing in a reiki healing center/tea shop/wiccan learning center and again he hasn't even validated his ticket yet.  Now I don't know...maybe a reiki healing center/tea shop/wiccan learning center is a great investment opportunity overlooked by most investors.  Maybe it is more secure than U.S. government T-Bills and has more tax advantages that Municipal Bonds.  Heck, it may be a veritable gold mone for all I know  But I do tend to doubt it.  

You say Bunky is an accountant and therefore, he will know how to handle his money.  All of us here at Lottery Post follow this stuff and we know what can happen to a winner when their name and picture are published.  Maybe Bunky doesn't read Lottery Post and maybe he doesn't know what will happen to him in the future.  But as an accountant he should know better than to advertise his financial status.  Especially in a state that allows lottery winners to remain anonymous.

I confess to poking a little fun at Bunky.  How could you not?  Look at what a lout he is acting like a big shot and chiding his "media shy wife" in public.  What a jerk!    

As for his religion...I don't care what his religion is.  But he's the one who put it out there.  Maybe his Wiccan Gods and magic spells are the reason he won the lottery.  But a long time ago I adopted this motto:

I don't doubt the word of God.  I doubt the mouth of man speaking it. 

Bunky is behaving just like the aforementioned big shots Jack and Dave.  He's courting the limelight...making promises...spending money he doesn't have and opening up his family to all kinds of potential problems.  That's not maing fun of him...that's just telling it like it is.

I sincerely wish Bunky and his family the best of luck.  But I have to tell you...based on his initial actions I have a feeling we'll be reading about him for years to come.

Sorry if I offended anyone.

Jim 

All this talk about remaining anonymous got me wondering.. how do you find out in what states you can remain anonymous or not? And on that note, can you remain anonymous in NJ?

Thanks.

I believe in magic.

Here you go Bunky.

Enjoy The Lovin' Spoonful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaqRwFyoGgQ