He was so calm and waiting. It's $200 million. What a great virtue!

Nope. He is unintelligent by doing the media interview and selecting the cash option.   How long he took to claim the prize has nothing to do with what kind of person he is - I can see right through it, it's mere ego.   He might have been able to do amazing things with the money..but only if he took the annuity and refused the media interview. Megamillions is watched by the whole country daily, his privacy is over from now on and he is officially going to be viewed as a "money source," rather than as a person.  What he has done is absolutely the worst way he can handle a large National lottery win and not surprisingly most lottery winners do this because it is so easy and tempting to use money to elevate oneself and satisfy ones need for ego.  The presence of ego in a person always ruins the persons life and cuts them short....history proves this. You can't beat it.  The only way to beat this is to - nullify the ego- and it's already way too late for him to do that.  The money will be gone due to his stupidity. I thought he knew better when I first heard about him winning but it's clear now that he chose to screw it up by doing the public conference.  While it is true that you can't remain anonymous in Virginia you can absolutely refuse the public media conference for the lottery and photos.  You also don't have to take the lump sum - that's just greedy.  He of course thinks he can change the world like most people who win the lottery (none of them have), but in reality, he will only be able to buy "false happiness" with such a large quantity of cash at once.  He will only superficially appeal to others through the fact he has all of this cash at one time.  No one will care about him as a person and he will not be able to see his flaws, and work to correct them, since it is far easier to use money to "buy friends" and "gain temporary popularity" rather than improve oneself for the better. He would have been able to do so much more for the world and his family if he had taken the annuity - way less tax, way more money, no risk, and he could have gotten practically interest free loans.  There are many "multi-millionaires" who are in debt or bankrupt (Michael Jackson, Nicholas Cage, Mike Tyson etc.).  Having lots of cash at once is simply not good.  There is no way to invest it to make billions safely without making a big, stressful mess that most likely will result in the "end" of what this jackpot was supposed to offer him in the first place.  Guaranteed Income is the best thing that can happen to anyone - and that is only granted by the annuity option!  He is also handing these same problems to everyone in his immediate family.   If he took the annuity, he would be guaranteed huge payments for the next 26 years - guaranteed - nothing could go wrong, and no jealous jerks could screw him over whatsoever.  If any of his distant relatives or "Friends" ask for cash, which they already are doing by now, he could have told him he chose not to have all the hard cash at once (if he took the annuity option).  Now he is going to have to fight off the anger daily from upset relatives, friends, and old neighbors.  I played that night and am disappointed that the money I put into the prize pool is going to such a complete moron.  I don't wish him happiness at all. I hope the money he's pocketed goes back to the schools somehow.

Nope. He is unintelligent by doing the media interview and selecting the cash option.   How long he took to claim the prize has nothing to do with what kind of person he is - I can see right through it, it's mere ego.   He might have been able to do amazing things with the money..but only if he took the annuity and refused the media interview. Megamillions is watched by the whole country daily, his privacy is over from now on and he is officially going to be viewed as a "money source," rather than as a person.  What he has done is absolutely the worst way he can handle a large National lottery win and not surprisingly most lottery winners do this because it is so easy and tempting to use money to elevate oneself and satisfy ones need for ego.  The presence of ego in a person always ruins the persons life and cuts them short....history proves this. You can't beat it.  The only way to beat this is to - nullify the ego- and it's already way too late for him to do that.  The money will be gone due to his stupidity. I thought he knew better when I first heard about him winning but it's clear now that he chose to screw it up by doing the public conference.  While it is true that you can't remain anonymous in Virginia you can absolutely refuse the public media conference for the lottery and photos.  You also don't have to take the lump sum - that's just greedy.  He of course thinks he can change the world like most people who win the lottery (none of them have), but in reality, he will only be able to buy "false happiness" with such a large quantity of cash at once.  He will only superficially appeal to others through the fact he has all of this cash at one time.  No one will care about him as a person and he will not be able to see his flaws, and work to correct them, since it is far easier to use money to "buy friends" and "gain temporary popularity" rather than improve oneself for the better. He would have been able to do so much more for the world and his family if he had taken the annuity - way less tax, way more money, no risk, and he could have gotten practically interest free loans.  There are many "multi-millionaires" who are in debt or bankrupt (Michael Jackson, Nicholas Cage, Mike Tyson etc.).  Having lots of cash at once is simply not good.  There is no way to invest it to make billions safely without making a big, stressful mess that most likely will result in the "end" of what this jackpot was supposed to offer him in the first place.  Guaranteed Income is the best thing that can happen to anyone - and that is only granted by the annuity option!  He is also handing these same problems to everyone in his immediate family.   If he took the annuity, he would be guaranteed huge payments for the next 26 years - guaranteed - nothing could go wrong, and no jealous jerks could screw him over whatsoever.  If any of his distant relatives or "Friends" ask for cash, which they already are doing by now, he could have told him he chose not to have all the hard cash at once (if he took the annuity option).  Now he is going to have to fight off the anger daily from upset relatives, friends, and old neighbors.  I played that night and am disappointed that the money I put into the prize pool is going to such a complete moron.  I don't wish him happiness at all. I hope the money he's pocketed goes back to the schools somehow.

Nope. He is unintelligent by doing the media interview and selecting the cash option.   How long he took to claim the prize has nothing to do with what kind of person he is - I can see right through it, it's mere ego.   He might have been able to do amazing things with the money..but only if he took the annuity and refused the media interview. Megamillions is watched by the whole country daily, his privacy is over from now on and he is officially going to be viewed as a "money source," rather than as a person.  What he has done is absolutely the worst way he can handle a large National lottery win and not surprisingly most lottery winners do this because it is so easy and tempting to use money to elevate oneself and satisfy ones need for ego.  The presence of ego in a person always ruins the persons life and cuts them short....history proves this. You can't beat it.  The only way to beat this is to - nullify the ego- and it's already way too late for him to do that.  The money will be gone due to his stupidity. I thought he knew better when I first heard about him winning but it's clear now that he chose to screw it up by doing the public conference.  While it is true that you can't remain anonymous in Virginia you can absolutely refuse the public media conference for the lottery and photos.  You also don't have to take the lump sum - that's just greedy.  He of course thinks he can change the world like most people who win the lottery (none of them have), but in reality, he will only be able to buy "false happiness" with such a large quantity of cash at once.  He will only superficially appeal to others through the fact he has all of this cash at one time.  No one will care about him as a person and he will not be able to see his flaws, and work to correct them, since it is far easier to use money to "buy friends" and "gain temporary popularity" rather than improve oneself for the better. He would have been able to do so much more for the world and his family if he had taken the annuity - way less tax, way more money, no risk, and he could have gotten practically interest free loans.  There are many "multi-millionaires" who are in debt or bankrupt (Michael Jackson, Nicholas Cage, Mike Tyson etc.).  Having lots of cash at once is simply not good.  There is no way to invest it to make billions safely without making a big, stressful mess that most likely will result in the "end" of what this jackpot was supposed to offer him in the first place.  Guaranteed Income is the best thing that can happen to anyone - and that is only granted by the annuity option!  He is also handing these same problems to everyone in his immediate family.   If he took the annuity, he would be guaranteed huge payments for the next 26 years - guaranteed - nothing could go wrong, and no jealous jerks could screw him over whatsoever.  If any of his distant relatives or "Friends" ask for cash, which they already are doing by now, he could have told him he chose not to have all the hard cash at once (if he took the annuity option).  Now he is going to have to fight off the anger daily from upset relatives, friends, and old neighbors.  I played that night and am disappointed that the money I put into the prize pool is going to such a complete moron.  I don't wish him happiness at all. I hope the money he's pocketed goes back to the schools somehow.

Nope. He is unintelligent by doing the media interview and selecting the cash option.   How long he took to claim the prize has nothing to do with what kind of person he is - I can see right through it, it's mere ego.   He might have been able to do amazing things with the money..but only if he took the annuity and refused the media interview. Megamillions is watched by the whole country daily, his privacy is over from now on and he is officially going to be viewed as a "money source," rather than as a person.  What he has done is absolutely the worst way he can handle a large National lottery win and not surprisingly most lottery winners do this because it is so easy and tempting to use money to elevate oneself and satisfy ones need for ego.  The presence of ego in a person always ruins the persons life and cuts them short....history proves this. You can't beat it.  The only way to beat this is to - nullify the ego- and it's already way too late for him to do that.  The money will be gone due to his stupidity. I thought he knew better when I first heard about him winning but it's clear now that he chose to screw it up by doing the public conference.  While it is true that you can't remain anonymous in Virginia you can absolutely refuse the public media conference for the lottery and photos.  You also don't have to take the lump sum - that's just greedy.  He of course thinks he can change the world like most people who win the lottery (none of them have), but in reality, he will only be able to buy "false happiness" with such a large quantity of cash at once.  He will only superficially appeal to others through the fact he has all of this cash at one time.  No one will care about him as a person and he will not be able to see his flaws, and work to correct them, since it is far easier to use money to "buy friends" and "gain temporary popularity" rather than improve oneself for the better. He would have been able to do so much more for the world and his family if he had taken the annuity - way less tax, way more money, no risk, and he could have gotten practically interest free loans.  There are many "multi-millionaires" who are in debt or bankrupt (Michael Jackson, Nicholas Cage, Mike Tyson etc.).  Having lots of cash at once is simply not good.  There is no way to invest it to make billions safely without making a big, stressful mess that most likely will result in the "end" of what this jackpot was supposed to offer him in the first place.  Guaranteed Income is the best thing that can happen to anyone - and that is only granted by the annuity option!  He is also handing these same problems to everyone in his immediate family.   If he took the annuity, he would be guaranteed huge payments for the next 26 years - guaranteed - nothing could go wrong, and no jealous jerks could screw him over whatsoever.  If any of his distant relatives or "Friends" ask for cash, which they already are doing by now, he could have told him he chose not to have all the hard cash at once (if he took the annuity option).  Now he is going to have to fight off the anger daily from upset relatives, friends, and old neighbors.  I played that night and am disappointed that the money I put into the prize pool is going to such a complete moron.  I don't wish him happiness at all. I hope the money he's pocketed goes back to the schools somehow.

Nope. He is unintelligent by doing the media interview and selecting the cash option.   How long he took to claim the prize has nothing to do with what kind of person he is - I can see right through it, it's mere ego.   He might have been able to do amazing things with the money..but only if he took the annuity and refused the media interview. Megamillions is watched by the whole country daily, his privacy is over from now on and he is officially going to be viewed as a "money source," rather than as a person.  What he has done is absolutely the worst way he can handle a large National lottery win and not surprisingly most lottery winners do this because it is so easy and tempting to use money to elevate oneself and satisfy ones need for ego.  The presence of ego in a person always ruins the persons life and cuts them short....history proves this. You can't beat it.  The only way to beat this is to - nullify the ego- and it's already way too late for him to do that.  The money will be gone due to his stupidity. I thought he knew better when I first heard about him winning but it's clear now that he chose to screw it up by doing the public conference.  While it is true that you can't remain anonymous in Virginia you can absolutely refuse the public media conference for the lottery and photos.  You also don't have to take the lump sum - that's just greedy.  He of course thinks he can change the world like most people who win the lottery (none of them have), but in reality, he will only be able to buy "false happiness" with such a large quantity of cash at once.  He will only superficially appeal to others through the fact he has all of this cash at one time.  No one will care about him as a person and he will not be able to see his flaws, and work to correct them, since it is far easier to use money to "buy friends" and "gain temporary popularity" rather than improve oneself for the better. He would have been able to do so much more for the world and his family if he had taken the annuity - way less tax, way more money, no risk, and he could have gotten practically interest free loans.  There are many "multi-millionaires" who are in debt or bankrupt (Michael Jackson, Nicholas Cage, Mike Tyson etc.).  Having lots of cash at once is simply not good.  There is no way to invest it to make billions safely without making a big, stressful mess that most likely will result in the "end" of what this jackpot was supposed to offer him in the first place.  Guaranteed Income is the best thing that can happen to anyone - and that is only granted by the annuity option!  He is also handing these same problems to everyone in his immediate family.   If he took the annuity, he would be guaranteed huge payments for the next 26 years - guaranteed - nothing could go wrong, and no jealous jerks could screw him over whatsoever.  If any of his distant relatives or "Friends" ask for cash, which they already are doing by now, he could have told him he chose not to have all the hard cash at once (if he took the annuity option).  Now he is going to have to fight off the anger daily from upset relatives, friends, and old neighbors.  I played that night and am disappointed that the money I put into the prize pool is going to such a complete moron.  I don't wish him happiness at all. I hope the money he's pocketed goes back to the schools somehow.

For anyone who is in California, after a Google search I finally found this information at their calottery website regarding anonymous claims of lotto jackpots:

"Can I be anonymous when I win?

California state law requires that the California State Lottery to release the following information: your name, and the name and location of the retailer where you bought your ticket. You may request no media coverage aside from that."

I was hoping winners could use a blind trust, however this is not possible in California.  Although difficult with your name being published, it would not be impossible to maintain privacy.

Actually, you can claim your lotto winnings in CA through an LLC or a Trust......

The largest US lottery jackpot so far, was won by a group in Garden Grove, CA, they claimed it through a trust; if a group can claim it under a trust, so can an individual.

In fact there have been a few individuals who have claimed SLP and MM jackpots in CA under a trust or LLC.

The lottery in CA may not like for you to do that but, they can not stop you.

Nope. He is unintelligent by doing the media interview and selecting the cash option.   How long he took to claim the prize has nothing to do with what kind of person he is - I can see right through it, it's mere ego.   He might have been able to do amazing things with the money..but only if he took the annuity and refused the media interview. Megamillions is watched by the whole country daily, his privacy is over from now on and he is officially going to be viewed as a "money source," rather than as a person.  What he has done is absolutely the worst way he can handle a large National lottery win and not surprisingly most lottery winners do this because it is so easy and tempting to use money to elevate oneself and satisfy ones need for ego.  The presence of ego in a person always ruins the persons life and cuts them short....history proves this. You can't beat it.  The only way to beat this is to - nullify the ego- and it's already way too late for him to do that.  The money will be gone due to his stupidity. I thought he knew better when I first heard about him winning but it's clear now that he chose to screw it up by doing the public conference.  While it is true that you can't remain anonymous in Virginia you can absolutely refuse the public media conference for the lottery and photos.  You also don't have to take the lump sum - that's just greedy.  He of course thinks he can change the world like most people who win the lottery (none of them have), but in reality, he will only be able to buy "false happiness" with such a large quantity of cash at once.  He will only superficially appeal to others through the fact he has all of this cash at one time.  No one will care about him as a person and he will not be able to see his flaws, and work to correct them, since it is far easier to use money to "buy friends" and "gain temporary popularity" rather than improve oneself for the better. He would have been able to do so much more for the world and his family if he had taken the annuity - way less tax, way more money, no risk, and he could have gotten practically interest free loans.  There are many "multi-millionaires" who are in debt or bankrupt (Michael Jackson, Nicholas Cage, Mike Tyson etc.).  Having lots of cash at once is simply not good.  There is no way to invest it to make billions safely without making a big, stressful mess that most likely will result in the "end" of what this jackpot was supposed to offer him in the first place.  Guaranteed Income is the best thing that can happen to anyone - and that is only granted by the annuity option!  He is also handing these same problems to everyone in his immediate family.   If he took the annuity, he would be guaranteed huge payments for the next 26 years - guaranteed - nothing could go wrong, and no jealous jerks could screw him over whatsoever.  If any of his distant relatives or "Friends" ask for cash, which they already are doing by now, he could have told him he chose not to have all the hard cash at once (if he took the annuity option).  Now he is going to have to fight off the anger daily from upset relatives, friends, and old neighbors.  I played that night and am disappointed that the money I put into the prize pool is going to such a complete moron.  I don't wish him happiness at all. I hope the money he's pocketed goes back to the schools somehow.

shortysonicg,

you sure do have a long post here.  Are you writing a novel or something?  While I think it is admirable you want to write (and type) here, you should know it is difficult to read long posts when they are not broken into coherent paragraphs.  Paragraphs:  use them, they are your friend.    Also, you need to check your facts before you make your post.  Using a quick Google search, I found this information at their valottery website:

Can I remain anonymous when I claim my lottery winnings?

No. Winners often ask if they can claim Lottery prizes anonymously. Virginia state law stipulates that a person must claim a prize; winners cannot claim a Virginia Lottery prize with a limited liability company or a trust, for example. In addition, the claimant's name, hometown and prize are public record and are released to the media (usually for prizes $100,000 and up). Winners also agree to allow the Lottery use of their photo for reasonable publicity. News releases, often with photographs, are displayed on the Lottery's Web site. For some jackpots and for some Scratcher prizes, game rules require the winner or winners to appear at a news conference held by the Lottery.

Virginia Lottery prizes are provided by the public (people who play the games); it is important to disclose where prizes go. All expenditures made by the Virginia Lottery must be made public. A winner's private information (telephone number, street address, Social Security number,etc.) is protected by law and will not be released.

shortysonicg, you mentioned how it was greedy to take all the money in one lump sum payment.  As someone else here has mentioned, with the way the US economy is doing so bad, taking all the money at once is smarter.  It allows the winner to protect his winnings.  In the near future, it might be advantageous to move all his money to a better managed economy, such as Switzerland and convert it to Swiss Franks.

Regarding the above Virginia disclosure rules:  It seems to me Virginia wants to use these rules to promote their own game so they can make more money.  Virginia sure does make it hell for major lotto winners, forcing them to have their picture plastered all over the news media and their webiste.  If I had been their $200 Million winner, I would've made sure everyone understood that and told them so during every press conference they forced me to attend.    It would've gone something like this:

{In front of news photographers with typical oversized check.  Puts arm around lottery official}

"I just want to thank the state of Virginia and the Virginia lottery commission for making my post winning Mega Millions life a living hell by forcing me to attend these unnecessary photo ops and publicity meetings, now that I'm going to have every freeloader, crook and conman coming at me at my home and wherever I go on the steet."

{Looks at lotto official and shakes hand}

"Thanks for making my new life a living hell."

{waves at crowd of reporters}