Things you expect to see happen in the lottery during your lifetime?

Reply #28

Lotto Motto — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 03:58:01 GMT

Yep Florida's 90 day window after the prize is claimed gives winners plenty of time to get the heck out of dodge and move to a place filled with many rich/wealthy people who don't care about some random lottery winner as they are already rich/wealthy themselves.

Reply #27

Stack47 — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:54:25 GMT

The state legislature is able to say certain information is exempt from that, including identifying lottery winners.

Wouldn't exempting some public records defeat the purpose of having open public records in the first place?

Florida state law might have the answer that satisfies both sides. The winner's identifying information is not released as public record until 90 days after the prize is claimed. And considering most states give at least 180 days to claim a jackpot, the extra days... [ More ]

Reply #26

Jackpot777 — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:28:19 GMT

All states have some way for the public to request information by law. The state legislature is able to say certain information is exempt from that, including identifying lottery winners.

The talk about remaining anonymous applies to the winner's name and residence not being publicly announced and published. There is no hiding it from the lottery, IRS, etc. in states that allow anonymity. Child support and other debt related searches are still being done.

In some states it's impossible... [ More ]

Reply #25

Artist77 — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:17:54 GMT

The average person with far less money thinks what are you complaining about, you have x $$$$. It would come across as rather silly unless there was an attempted murder or abduction. Most people do not see past $$$$.

Reply #24

Lotto Motto — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:13:11 GMT

They wouldn't be complaining about winning money perse they would be talking about being a target after being forced to come forward publicly in order to claim their lottery winnings and how being a target ruined their lives.

Reply #23

Artist77 — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:38:32 GMT

A former winner complaining about winning $ would not be in their best interest.

Reply #22

Lotto Motto — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:30:44 GMT

The PSA for lottery anonymity is a great idea and I could see a PSA about former lottery winners talking about how being forced to go public with their winning ruined their lives could go viral and make lottery officials very uncomfortable to say the least and get them to seriously consider making lottery winner anonymity happen.

Reply #21

Stack47 — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:34:10 GMT

Some states will not allow winners to collect anonymously because their l ottery is subject to the state's Open Records Act. The good news is even in those states winners can use lawyers to set up blind trust or a limited liability company (LLC) to claim the prize, which helps shield personal identity from immediate public view.

I agree with you, but it's very difficult for states to have FOIA, transparency laws and allow lottery winners total anonymity. And winners are legally subject to s... [ More ]

Reply #20

Coin Toss — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:07:16 GMT

Artist77, Or to get enough players to boycott that state lottery until it finally takes the hint. A pipe dream I know but never say never. Someone with either enough influence and connections could put together a barrage of public service ads with testimonies from previous jackpot winners who wished they could have remained anonymous.

Reply #19

Artist77 — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 23:25:50 GMT

The only way to make a state lottery become anonymous for winners is with state lawmakers. The state lottery could get a million calls and it would be meaningless. The law has to be changed.

Reply #18

grwurston — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 21:13:35 GMT

Every state's lottery website has a Contact Us page. If enough players were to contact them saying we want anonymity they may change the rules. But a couple of dozen won't cut it, it would have to be hundreds or even thousands for them to take notice. If you asked lottery retailers to post a Petition to Remain Anonymous that could help too.

You tell 10 people to contact them, then tell each one of them to tell 10 people and so on. We could overwhelm them.

Reply #17

Coin Toss — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 19:37:11 GMT

All it would really take is for all the players in any given state to boycott the lottery until the state lets players go anonymous but good luck there.

Reply #16

Jackpot777 — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:39:55 GMT

Also, write to your State Legislators because they are the ones who have the power to change the law. I think it would be beneficial if you could convince your lottery commissioners and they could make the recommendation to the legislature, but I think a lot of them are still holding on to the belief that transparency is more important for sales than privacy.

Reply #15

Jackpot777 — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:31:13 GMT

Has everyone here written to their State Legislators about changing their state laws to stay anonymous? I know it's extremely difficult to get laws changed, but if enough people do it and make their purchases in other anonymous states, they might start thinking about it.

Reply #14

Coin Toss — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:44:28 GMT

Lotto Motto, If only

Reply #13

Lotto Motto — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 04:09:09 GMT

That's something along the lines of what my original post is about, telling the lottery you don't want publicity, :) , except in my scenario the no publicity, choice wouldn't exist as anonymity would be automatically given for all winners.

Reply #12

Coin Toss — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 17:44:05 GMT

Re: The thread title, not that I expect to see happen but would like to see happen, all American lotteries add a NP box to play skips and vending machine games, No Publicity ( as Australia does). Maybe US players in non anonymous states should start writing, texting and calling their lottery commissions about it Hint Hint

Reply #11

Lotto Motto — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 04:23:04 GMT

I absolutely would feel more comfortable playing the lottery if I were guaranteed to not have to come forward publicly in order to claim my winnings.

Reply #10

Artist77 — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:35:22 GMT

I have been tracking anonymity rules for years and the trend towards anonymity seems to be picking up again after it slowed down during covid. Once states see their sales increase with anonymity, other states start to follow.

The alleged justification for non anonymity is not valid since the biggest threat to lottery integrity is not the players but sales clerks and lottery employees and third parties.

.

Reply #9

Lotto Motto — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:18:22 GMT

Thank you for the correction. I should have said, All States that do allow lotteries, not all 50 States.

Reply #8

Stack47 — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 02:45:58 GMT

There is a reason the small print on the back of tickets keeps getting smaller; takes lots of space for all the necessary rules and regulations. And in some states anonymity only applies to the larger jackpot winners. Some of 5/39 jackpot winners' names are published the day after they made their claim. It's possible in some states photos of winners is required.

Getting back to the topic, $5 a ticket MM and an international PB suggests the current trend is for the largest jackpots that can... [ More ]

Reply #7

Tucker Black — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:30:45 GMT

I do find it strange that so many states disallow anonymity. Every name and photo of a jackpot winner at a casino is, to my knowledge, entirely voluntary.

Reply #6

Stat$talker — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 22:57:28 GMT

Didn't know that, but Alaska probably doesn't have enough population to support a Lottery, unless they're gonna allow Yogi Boo Boo'z Family to participate..

Hey Hey Heyeeeee

Reply #5

grwurston — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 22:48:59 GMT

Also, Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah don't either.

Reply #4

Stat$talker — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 22:41:32 GMT

all 50 states do not have lotteries.

Alabama, Nevada I believe Don't...

Reply #3

Coin Toss — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:41:24 GMT

Lotto Motto, One more time, all 50 states do not have lotteries.

Reply #2

Tone43 — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:14:39 GMT

it should be a choice if the winners want to display themselves as winners

and not be forced by any law

Reply #1

grwurston — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:03:44 GMT

We can only hope.

Things you expect to see happen in the lottery during your lifetime?

Lotto Motto — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 20:24:31 GMT

I expect to see all 50 States abolish the Winners must come forward publicly in order to claim prize rule. So many people have had their lives either turn rotten or even end because they were forced to come forward publicly in order to claim their lottery winnings. No good things come out of forcing lottery winners to come forward publicly in order to claim their lottery winnings, only bad things. I feel that all 50 States will open their eyes to this horrifying fact within my lifetime .