Delaware couple anonymously claims $50M Powerball jackpot

Congrats to them!  This is how every state should do it; winners are allowed to remain annonymous (to avoid all the publicity problems (greedy distant relatives, kidnappings, theft, burglary, stalkers, scammers, beggars, etc) that arise from a lottery win), and the state can release their story without naming names or the city they live in.

I agree with you John. I like annonymity and letting the winners tell their story anyway. Great!

This is in line with the article from last week that NJ is considering letting winners become annonymous for only 1 year. That doesn't make sense to me to just have annonymity for just one year. Let it be forever like in states like Delaware. The article doesn't mention that the winners identity will be revealed in 1-yr.

Note to New Jersey Legislators: Let winners remain annonymous forever like Delaware and the other states do.

golfer1960,

the only way to get anything changed in jersey is to change incrementaly,

if we get the 1 year then change it to 5 years then forever.

Hi Haymaker,

I guess you're right but it shouldn't be that way in this case.

The Freedom of Information act applies to all states but Delaware won't release the names after one year due to the safety and privacy of the winners.

Other than that, there is no good reason to let the names and identities of the winners out into the public domain.

If I win, I shouldn't have to move or hide to protect myself and my family.

I hope NJ understands that.

Other than that, how you doing brother?

Doing well, hope you are also, thanks for asking.

I hav'nt heard any news about the 1 year anonymity law, in fact if not for LP I would't know about it at all.

There's not even any mention of it on the states lottery website.

i'm beginning to wonder if the silence has anything to do w/ the election.

Also wonder if it would include tix. that were bought before the law passed.

for example, you buy a MM for tomorrow and it's winner,but the bill for anonymity does'nt become law until jan. 1st,

could you just wait to jan.2nd to claim ?

or would they say no the ticket was bought previous to the law so you can't claim anonymous.

as always the devil is in the details.

Thanks.  I think annonymity forever is the best.  However, I think NJ's idea of 1 year is a better option than what the states do now; it's probably a compromise between protecting the winners & fulfilling their state's mandate of a transparent lottery process.  Most of the problems lottery winners have (greedy relatives contacting them, getting inundated with money requests from strangers, stalkers, kidnappers, burglars, etc) get started because the lottery publicizes their win at a time when they don't have systems/plans in place to deal with the additional public scrutiny.  However, give lottery winners a year to plan for their name release, and they can do things like move to an undisclosed address, change mailing addresses, form trusts, consult with lawyers/financial planners, etc.  So, when their name gets released, they will already be in a much better place & can deal with additional scrutiny; it's way better than the lottery commission basically dumping them in a shark tank at a time when their head is still spinning & they can't make smart decisions easily.

Exactomundo Seattlejohn,

you hit the nail on the head,

The legislator that introduced the bill is smart enough to know that anonymity forever would never fly.

so he asks for something reasonable, a chance to show anonymity will not hurt tix. sales,

and may help espeacially w/ ppl. from DE, PA, NY.

I agree about going public with no personal info. That is ideal. People get to hear the personal story, yet the winner maintains their privacy and safety. I would totally do it that way. It's a win-win situation.

I still don't fully understand Texas' limited publicity (although I'm hoping to!), but I've seen people claim in blind trusts or with other legal entities. I'm sure if you nest them enough, a series of legal entities can hide your identity with the limited publicity.

That all being said -

CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS! MAY YOUR FUTURE BE FULL OF LOVE AND LAUGHTER,AND BE TROUBLE FREE! 

, rdgrnr.

PLUS, congratulations happy couple on your big jackpot win and remaining anonymous in your RARE anonymous state (wonderful state is also "State Income Tax Free")!!!

I WISHED ILLINOIS WAS ANNYMOUS ....

Actually,as corrupt as Illinois officials are,you should consider yourself lucky that Illinois isn't an anonymous state.I wouldn't put it past them to try to claim a few lottery jackpots for themselves.

Most winners of lottery got their numbers from the most important event or things in their lives.  Something that is can be considered as treasure events of their lives.  Lucky for them, those important numbers were picked and gave them the biggest opportunity of their lives.  I congratulate you and hope you will enjoy your winnings.

Congrats to the winners