Chinese man hides $30 million lottery jackpot from family, worries that money will make them "lazy"

Nov 5, 2022, 2:13 pm (21 comments)

International

Winner fears his family will become "complacent"

By Kate Northrop

A man who won a 219 million yuan ($30.5 million) lottery jackpot kept the news from his wife and child, fearing that the extra fortune would curb their motivation.

Somewhere in China near the town of Litang, there's a family out there that has no idea they're sitting on a huge lottery haul.

An anonymous winner, known as Li, finally had the luckiest day of his life after playing the same numbers for ten years. He would only use the same set of numbers: 2, 15, 19, 26, 27, 29, and +2.

On Oct. 11, he stopped at a lottery station in Litang, a town east of the regional capital of Nanning. There, he spent $11 for 40 identical tickets.

The next morning, he found out that he had won an extraordinary amount of money.

"I only slept in a hotel because I was afraid to go out and lose the lottery ticket," he recalled to Nanning Evening News.

The worth of his 40 winning tickets came out to about $765,000 per ticket, according to the South China Morning Post. While most lottery winners would rush to tell their loved ones, Li took a different approach.

"I have not told my wife or kid," the winner told lottery officials. "I am concerned that they might feel superior to other people and will not work or study hard in [the] future."

To take further precautions, Li showed up at the Guangxi Welfare Lottery Issuance Center to claim his prize while wearing a bright yellow cartoonish costume, which resembles the lottery's mascot.

Upon receiving his prize, Li donated 5 million yuan (US$695,894) to a charitable fund that supports vulnerable people and walked away with 171 million yuan ($23.8 million) after taxes, lottery officials said in a press release.

Although it remains to be seen whether his family will eventually learn of the massive fortune, he said he has not decided how he wants to spend the rest of the money.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

cottoneyedjoe's avatarcottoneyedjoe

Sounds like a Chinese folk tale, LOL.

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Ancient Chinese secret: tell your family the truth to maintain that family trust. Once you lose that trust, it is very hard to get back.

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

The little devil in me is saying that this guy might just have an ulterior motive. Perhaps a side chick stashed away somewhere, waiting for the day they can go galivanting in the south of France. 

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

If you can't trust your family, who can you trust?.

sully16's avatarsully16

Welp, what an A-hole.🤪 He can take it easy while they work until they drop.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

I understand what he did. Money changes people and if you did not have to work for what you have, you would be a very different person. Let the children know about the money after they get a good education and their first jobs.

fellini

He sounds like he worries too much. No fun at all.

Lets-win's avatarLets-win

Is that right? $11.00 for 40 tickets?

EnReval

Where was his family when he stayed at the hotel?

Mata Garbo

Quote: Originally posted by sully16 on Nov 5, 2022

Welp, what an A-hole.🤪 He can take it easy while they work until they drop.

Love your comment.!!. perfect description.........My question to people like this guy would be, why? Why are you even playing the lottery if you are so "concerned" about how winning may effect your family? 😨

peppy007

2 billion jackpot here we come

Tony Numbers's avatarTony Numbers

Money changes people it certainly does. Here is an example of the money bringing out some sickness of this person. Wealthy individuals instill good values in spite of the money. Who says you can't share the fortune with family and maintain a good work ethic? Maybe he is too controlling and insecure. Also in need of attention, claiming the prize in a bright yellow costume!

Artist77's avatarArtist77

The article did not state the winner planned to never tell his family.  It is not uncommon for trust funds for children to become effective at 25 or even 30 years old.

 I believe the costume was to further hide his identity.

Strange to me that he would be criticized for worrying about his family.

GiveFive's avatarGiveFive

His family is going to find out anyway and then how PO'd will his wife be at him?????  G5

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