N.J. Assembly panel clears one-year anonymity for lottery winners

Comment #39

Cocostar — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 15:32:24 GMT

I'm glad to see N.J. protecting some winners. I believe anything can happen and anyone is capable.

I can't see why anyone would not have at least a copy of their pool tickets immediately after joining in a pool at work or where ever.

I'm not from Jersey but am a truck driver that's been delivering Jersey for about thirty years. Several years ago while delivering the Edison area on route one I stopped at a sandwich shop and noticed that they were selling tickets to a Florida powerball lott... [ More ]

Comment #38

desert — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 06:44:21 GMT

I would believe that should the winner give their blessings for a media release. so be it. However, if the winner would like to remain anonymous, then the proposed law could be invoked and honored. One could probably still find out who the winner is, but some serious digging would be required (perhaps a real need to know would be needed?).

As for a year passing and if no one was paying attention, that could be a real benefit for the winner too. Those that truly need to know would be the

Comment #37

mcginnin56 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 14:06:40 GMT

Unless they are bottom dwelling, scum sucking weasels, who will try to steal whatever morsels they can from you.

Comment #36

redhot7 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 06:19:21 GMT

People who ask a lottery winner for money have no shame. Not only they are degrading the lottery winner, they are degrading themselves. There is no legitimate reason to do it unless they owe you money before winning the lottery.

Comment #35

Coin Toss — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 05:02:29 GMT

For all we know the winner might have said exactly that.

Still didn't, or wouldn't stop anyone from coming back asking for another $1M.

Comment #34

Ronnie316 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:49:14 GMT

LOL. The great thing with the annuity is the principle can come back or be passed to anyone of choice.

Dont worry, I would have just handed YOU the cash.

Comment #33

mcginnin56 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:37:24 GMT

I'm just glad you weren't my rich uncle growing up.

Comment #32

Ronnie316 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:33:23 GMT

Oh yeah....... and there are lots of choices too, like revocable, revertible, etc... etc....

Comment #31

mcginnin56 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:29:56 GMT

That's just brilliant Ronnie316

Comment #30

Ronnie316 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:27:24 GMT

For a large gift, I would put it in a annuity so a check goes out each month.

Comment #29

mcginnin56 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:24:48 GMT

I would have said, show me your financial plan for making this money last for at least 20 years.

If I liked the plan give the green light, if not, not a thin dime.

Comment #28

tvboris — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:23:00 GMT

Well, that's great. One year is more than enough to get used to the money and get used to the idea of being reach. Besides, being able to plan everything in one year to disappear after annoucement is more then enough.

After all, you have a chance to wait one year to claim the prize, but certain things is hard to prepare without the money. So, they basically give the same period of waiting. Just having the money in the pocket make a huge difference.

Comment #27

grwurston — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:13:17 GMT

I would have said, Here is $1 million. You can do whatever you want with it, but this is a one shot deal. There will not be

any more after this. If you blow it, too bad that's on you .

Comment #26

Ronnie316 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 23:44:18 GMT

Yes, let the toilers toil........

Comment #25

Coin Toss — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:38:22 GMT

haymaker,

...for instance, statewide casino gambling was proposed in 74 and failed,...

Oh there were casinos but the guys running them didn't want competition from legal casinos, and made some politicians 'offers they couldn't refuse', and greased some palms along with that.

Not Jersey but NY, one of the guys I worked with when I first got to Vegas learned to deal in NYC....the casino where he worked was on the 3rd floor of a building with a NYPD precinct HQ on the first floor.

As... [ More ]

Comment #24

haymaker — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 21:42:52 GMT

N.J. lottery.com does'nt even mention this,

LIMO

Comment #23

haymaker — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:35:53 GMT

Coin Toss,

The time restriction is needed because if you want to get something done in jersey you must do it in baby steps.

for instance, statewide casino gambling was proposed in 74 and failed,

then atlantic city only was proposed in 76 and passed.

36 years goes by and it's being proposed for the medowlands (near jets, giants staduim, racetrack etc.)

now that won't happen under the current governer, but will happen at some point.

we should be called the gradulism state instead... [ More ]

Comment #22

Seattlejohn — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 18:54:23 GMT

YES! About freakin' time someone finally owned up to the fact that winners become targets need help to prevent them from becoming victims...

Comment #21

Coin Toss — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:56:47 GMT

maringoman,

On one of the lottery programs on TLC one jackpot winner said he had given several individuals $1,000,000 each - and every single one of them blew it all and came back asking for more.

Slap another million on me, I know you've got it.

Comment #20

onlymoney — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:23:52 GMT

When I said NO, I meant total strangers looking for a handout. As far as friends go, I'd give a few of them something and if they didn't like it, tough. As for family, well, immediate family gets a lot and the peripherals get what I can afford to give without affecting me in the long run.

Comment #19

HaveABall — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 04:19:32 GMT

This anonymity is wonderful! I hope that each state in our good 'ole U.S.A. acquires this very helpful law. One year is probably enough time to learn investing options, change one's name, and purchase/rent a new homestead in a different county or state. Good hope, etc.

Comment #18

JonnyBgood07 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:49:42 GMT

no doubt!

well,,,a year is good enough time to get your things together and get the hell out of dodge .

I already told my girfriend if we hit we're going to a realtor and getting a small place on credit in Maine till we figure out what exactly we will be doing.

Comment #17

MADDOG10 — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 00:38:26 GMT

It is a good start, and it's about time...

Comment #16

mcginnin56 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 23:37:28 GMT

Comment #15

maringoman — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 23:27:47 GMT

Are you sure? I know you only think of strangers begging hands but what about your inner circle of friends? what about your family?

If you can be able to say no and don't care for the relationship, because you know it'll never be the same after that, then you really have no problem.

I am not saying I'd give away all my money, but I'd have a hard time saying no to my close friends and relatives.

I would rather collect anonymously then reveal it to those I choose to gift some money. The... [ More ]

Comment #14

Stack47 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 23:13:39 GMT

Still, Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester), who sponsored the measure, said the information is all available through the Open Public Records Act.

Depends on the state laws and this state has Open Public Records statutes. This bill simply closes this public record for one year. I'll bet if you look closely at the fine print on this bill you'll see the anonymity doesn't apply to owing back Federal and state taxes, warrants, court fines, and/or child support.

I've noticed that states... [ More ]

Comment #13

Coin Toss — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 21:25:39 GMT

I agree with golfer1960 in their post above. Why one year?

People will be waiting like vultures if they have any suspicion they know who the winner was.

Anonymous should mean anonymous with no time restriction.

If lawyers have to get involved may I once again suggest the JWPP - Jackpot Winners Protection Program - a parallel to the Witness Protection Program format, but the lawyers handle all attempted correspondence and contacts. Everything goes through 'the program' and the winners ar... [ More ]

Comment #12

gocart1 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 18:45:29 GMT

Hope new york state follews this

Comment #11

mrylndw — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 18:29:45 GMT

I like the years' grace period...strategic planning would allow me to drop out of sight 1 hour after the reveal .

Comment #10

onlymoney — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:18:48 GMT

I have no problem saying NO.

Comment #9

Ronnie316 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:26:21 GMT

Perhaps a detail of armed security guards for every lottery winner???

Now there is...... CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN

Comment #8

Ronnie316 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:22:45 GMT

What she never learned her whole life was.... How to take responsibilty for her own actions....

Comment #7

Nikkicute — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:18:48 GMT

OK, if they are going to wait a year, how are they going to annouce who won?

Are they just going to put up the name on the website or is it going to be all

over the news?

If they just put it up on the website without any big announcements after a year

no one will be paying attention and have forgotten by then.

Comment #6

golfer1960 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:16:50 GMT

I love the fact that they are going to remain anonymous but why just a year? Won't people hound you after a year is over? Aren't you still putting the winners in danger after a year?

Also, if the critics of this plan say that the lottery has to go public because of office pools , then I say outlaw office pools. We all criticize the office pools anyway. All they do is create lawsuits.

So in addition to allowing the winner to stay anonymous , I urge the NJ lawmakers to outlaw office pools so... [ More ]

Comment #5

haymaker — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:10:44 GMT

.......bill has at least five critics

And big suprise, one is a lawyer.

Of course, they see a gravytrain about to dry up.

Comment #4

RedStang — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:03:18 GMT

When you fill a bird feeder, they all come. When it's empty, they are no where around. Winning some money has the same effect. i hope all states do this.

Comment #3

Cletu$2 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:00:14 GMT

Comment #2

jamella724 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:55:42 GMT

I feel so sad about what happened to Ms. Adams. She have all the money that time, but due to unavoidable situtions...everything disappeared. If she were just so cautious how to spend her millions, or where to invest it, maybe the money is triple in amount right now.

Comment #1

jackpotismine — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:41:54 GMT

Bravo! I think this is a good start.

N.J. Assembly panel clears one-year anonymity for lottery winners

Lottery Post — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:30:05 GMT

Twenty-five years ago, Evelyn Adams had the unimaginable luck of winning the lottery twice in two years.

But opportunity morphed into misfortune for Adams, who ended up broke and living in a trailer after giving away and gambling away $5.4 million.

Everybody wanted my money, the Ocean County woman told the website Bankrate.com in 2004. Everybody had their hand out. I never learned one simple word in the English language 'no.'

Monday, a state Assembly panel sought to close the barn doo... [ More ]