New Michigan bill would allow multi-state lottery winners to remain anonymous

Feb 14, 2021, 9:01 am (15 comments)

Michigan Lottery

By Kate Northrop

On Thursday, a State Representative proposed new legislature that would allow Michigan winners of multi-state games like Mega Millions and Powerball to remain anonymous when claiming a prize.

Only winners of local in-state Michigan games are currently allowed to remain anonymous, but a bill introduced by Rep. Pat Outman specifies that players who win multi-state games would be able to choose to remain anonymous as well.

According to a press release, the intention of the bill is to protect players whose security is compromised after winning significant prizes from Mega Millions, Powerball, and Lucky for Life.

"This is all about providing safety and ensuring winners of these types of games do not receive unwanted, possibly dangerous attention," Outman explained. "The bill would allow those who win the lottery to have the choice to keep their identities anonymous. Allowing a privacy option gives people a more secure feeling and does not leave them open to harassment or a flood of requests for funds, loans or donations."

The bill's timely introduction comes about a month after the ticket for a record-breaking $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot was sold in Novi, Michigan. The winner has not come forward to claim their prize yet, but perhaps they might want to wait to see the outcome. Mega Millions winners have one year from the draw date to claim their prize.

Outman also argues that the rise of social media in the past decade may leave players more vulnerable to scams and solicitation since personal information about lottery winners is so easily accessible. He worries that current law permitting the names of winners be disclosed publicly and to the media could pose a threat to the winner and his or her family.

"Everyone who plays these types of lottery games hopes to win big, and if it happens, it should be a time of celebration, not distress," Outman said. "Several other states allow winners to remain anonymous, and, in my opinion, it's time Michigan allow this option as well."

This is not the first time that similar legislation was examined. In 2016, Rep. Ray Franz introduced a bill that also advocated for player anonymity, which was eventually shot down. However, Outman hopes to kick off his first term in the Legislature on a positive note by bringing back the topic into discussion once more.

"Privacy and safety is key among my position as a State Representative," he added. "I want to keep my constituents safe; I want to make sure they maintain their privacy, and this is a way to ensure that."

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Bleudog101

A politician who cares about their constituents.   Already like that for MI lotto so why not include MM, PB & LFL?

 

I don't like in an anonymous state, but have noticed big winners have chosen to stay anonymous in KY, not sure if it is Covid-19 related or not, but a good idea!

Think's avatarThink

Michigan went anonymous for in-state games of over $10,000 in 1988/89 when they also put the state income tax on  all lottery prizes.

Previous winners sued and got to maintain the tax exemption.  Every winner since then has to pay the state income tax which is now at 4.25% so it really isn't a big deal on the state taxes.

The only exceptions to the anonymity are for those games where you have to show up at a special event like a TV show to spin a wheel or otherwise compete for various prizes and maybe some second chance events.

I have to admit that I bought a ticket for the Billion dollar draw and immediately thought " Oh My God!  What am I doing, what if I win?"
That was because of the lack of anonymity on the huge prizes.

I never had to worry about it but I thought about not claiming it if I won because of what would have been the aftermath.

It is because of that thought and the fact that nobody ever wins the jackpot that I have sworn off playing the Mega Millions.

I might get sucked back in if Michigan goes for the total anonymity on all games over $10,000!

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by Think on Feb 14, 2021

Michigan went anonymous for in-state games of over $10,000 in 1988/89 when they also put the state income tax on  all lottery prizes.

Previous winners sued and got to maintain the tax exemption.  Every winner since then has to pay the state income tax which is now at 4.25% so it really isn't a big deal on the state taxes.

The only exceptions to the anonymity are for those games where you have to show up at a special event like a TV show to spin a wheel or otherwise compete for various prizes and maybe some second chance events.

I have to admit that I bought a ticket for the Billion dollar draw and immediately thought " Oh My God!  What am I doing, what if I win?"
That was because of the lack of anonymity on the huge prizes.

I never had to worry about it but I thought about not claiming it if I won because of what would have been the aftermath.

It is because of that thought and the fact that nobody ever wins the jackpot that I have sworn off playing the Mega Millions.

I might get sucked back in if Michigan goes for the total anonymity on all games over $10,000!

With all the junk going on (politics/weather) had completely forgotten about the billion dollar winner there.

PHIL85

This legislation has been proposed a few times in Michigan. It [ unfortunately ] always sits around and dies because it is not brought up for vote.

 

It must be passed into law for the safety of the public. Many people in MI have stated they only play the MI lotto games and NOT the multi-state

games just for that reason.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by Think on Feb 14, 2021

Michigan went anonymous for in-state games of over $10,000 in 1988/89 when they also put the state income tax on  all lottery prizes.

Previous winners sued and got to maintain the tax exemption.  Every winner since then has to pay the state income tax which is now at 4.25% so it really isn't a big deal on the state taxes.

The only exceptions to the anonymity are for those games where you have to show up at a special event like a TV show to spin a wheel or otherwise compete for various prizes and maybe some second chance events.

I have to admit that I bought a ticket for the Billion dollar draw and immediately thought " Oh My God!  What am I doing, what if I win?"
That was because of the lack of anonymity on the huge prizes.

I never had to worry about it but I thought about not claiming it if I won because of what would have been the aftermath.

It is because of that thought and the fact that nobody ever wins the jackpot that I have sworn off playing the Mega Millions.

I might get sucked back in if Michigan goes for the total anonymity on all games over $10,000!

All the lotto type jackpots were paid by annuities and the winners, even though they had to sue, were finally given tax exemptions on their remaining payments. 

"Oh My God!  What am I doing, what if I win?"

I Agree! and the fact lotteries don't hand out $1 billion in cash to the winner won't stop would be thieves. Large jackpot winners will never have total anonymity, but not posting their identities gives them a head start.

fellini

If people weren't so paranoid you wouldn't need states to allow you to win anonymously.

EnReval

I think everyone wants to know who won but you have lottery stalkers 

I would be okay with telling close friends under 3 people n siblings but you have to sign a NDA

 

l would definitely not post my newly bought goods on Instagram or FB

 

 Being paranoid comes with them advertising your name 

 

eventually, they will forget win someone wins again

noise-gate

On a side note: The CA lottery system is down State wide as of now. Perhaps weather related.

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Feb 15, 2021

On a side note: The CA lottery system is down State wide as of now. Perhaps weather related.

KY too, called IGT in Rhode Island and gal said they're having technical difficulties.

Bleudog101

KLC back up and running like normal.

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Bleudog101 on Feb 15, 2021

KLC back up and running like normal.

We up and running as well Jeff. Couldn't wait to get a fantasy 5 ticket for tonight- that baby was sitting at $330,000.

Aaron Iqbal

In the district of Heidekreis, a bouquet of roses for Valentine's Day is now slightly larger. Because for an as yet unknown player from Lower Saxony, a dream came true when LOTTO 6aus49 was drawn on Wednesday, February 10, 2021: With his lucky numbers 5, 19, 21, 27, 32, 46 and the super number 6, he landed nationwide as Only one hit and hit the lottery jackpot. Now the lucky one receives a prize in prize class 1 in the amount of 13,989,514.40 euros.

The new millionaire handed in his ticket with nine typed fields for LOTTO 6aus49 as well as participation in the additional lotteries Spiel 77 and SUPER 6 with a term of five weeks at a LOTTO Lower Saxony acceptance point in the Heidekreis district in mid-January. Since the jackpot at LOTTO 6aus49 was cracked on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, it will start on Saturday, February 13, 2021 at around four million euros.

In total, 15 Lower Saxony achieved a high profit of at least 100,000 euros in the lotteries of LOTTO Niedersachsen in 2021 - eight of them worth millions.

Opportunity to win class 1 LOTTO 6aus49: 1: 140 million

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by Aaron Iqbal on Feb 16, 2021

In the district of Heidekreis, a bouquet of roses for Valentine's Day is now slightly larger. Because for an as yet unknown player from Lower Saxony, a dream came true when LOTTO 6aus49 was drawn on Wednesday, February 10, 2021: With his lucky numbers 5, 19, 21, 27, 32, 46 and the super number 6, he landed nationwide as Only one hit and hit the lottery jackpot. Now the lucky one receives a prize in prize class 1 in the amount of 13,989,514.40 euros.

The new millionaire handed in his ticket with nine typed fields for LOTTO 6aus49 as well as participation in the additional lotteries Spiel 77 and SUPER 6 with a term of five weeks at a LOTTO Lower Saxony acceptance point in the Heidekreis district in mid-January. Since the jackpot at LOTTO 6aus49 was cracked on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, it will start on Saturday, February 13, 2021 at around four million euros.

In total, 15 Lower Saxony achieved a high profit of at least 100,000 euros in the lotteries of LOTTO Niedersachsen in 2021 - eight of them worth millions.

Opportunity to win class 1 LOTTO 6aus49: 1: 140 million

Guess I'm tired or confused.   Those lotteries were in Deutschland when stationed there decades ago and played infrequently.   Your handle if you will states UK so I don't know....anyway it doesn't matter, good luck to you.

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Feb 15, 2021

We up and running as well Jeff. Couldn't wait to get a fantasy 5 ticket for tonight- that baby was sitting at $330,000.

IGT said when you call them they are having technical issues (again); however was able to play @ the store.   This is four days in a row always around lunchtime.   Couldn't get GA's website to work properly either as I sometimes play their pick 3 here!

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