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If you had a winning ticket and someone asked if you won, would you tell them or lie?

I would be honest and tell them that I won.

[ 8 ]

[ 19.0% ]

I would lie and tell them that I didn't win.

[ 22 ]

[ 52.4% ]

I would try to change the subject.

[ 12 ]

[ 28.6% ]

Total valid votes

[ 42 ]

Discarded votes

[ 3 ]

Fwup

United States
Member #3,654
February 9, 2004
70 Posts
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May 26, 2004, 4:39 pm

Why would you not tell anyone? Especially your family. I'm sure I wouldn't walk around with a sign around my neck that says "I'm a lottery millionaire", But I certainly wouldn't try to hide it.
BobP

Dump Water Florida
United States
Member #380
June 5, 2002
3,574 Posts
Offline

May 27, 2004, 2:03 am

Quote: Originally posted by Fwup on May 26, 2004

Why would you not tell anyone? Especially your family. I'm sure I wouldn't walk around with a sign around my neck that says "I'm a lottery millionaire", But I certainly wouldn't try to hide it.

There's two parts to the question, whether you tell before you've cashed in the winning ticket, and who you tell afterwards.

Don't know what you're family is like, but for some it could be a real security nightmare. You only tell the wife who only tells her best friend who only tells her husband who mentions it at the poker game downtown and that night people are climbing through your windows looking for the ticket.

After the ticket is securely cashed and the money banked, maybe there is a risk of kidnapping or you just don't care to fend off salesmen selling everything a new millionare couldn't do without. What about the relative you've been pleading poverty to for every failed crackpot investment scheme he's come up with so far? Maybe the daughter and out of work live in boyfriend would want to come stay with you . . . forever. etc. BobP
twisted

New Jersey
United States
Member #2,376
September 25, 2003
582 Posts
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May 27, 2004, 2:22 am

Quote: Originally posted by Thomas Covenant on May 25, 2004

I would lie as long as I could, however, if I was trying to "pick up" a lovely lady...well, let's just say that's a different story.

I would be very careful with the ladies you "pick up" once they know you are a lottery winner. Make sure to get a prenup.
rdarmand

United States
Member #674
September 4, 2002
50 Posts
Offline

May 27, 2004, 8:39 am

Quote: Originally posted by BobP on May 25, 2004

Troublesome relations/family? Consider putting a million in a bank account in all their names and giving them each a check book, see how long it lasts. BobP

I *really* like this idea. They would tear each other to pieces.

Where n is equal to the number of tickets bought, the odds of winning in the MegaMillions lottery is given by 1 - [(1 - 0.023399196957)^n]
Thomas Covenant

South Carolina
United States
Member #491
July 16, 2002
837 Posts
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May 27, 2004, 8:43 am

Pre-nup? Who said anything about marriage?

Okay, now I believe you can predict lottery numbers
percygrinder

Bahamas
Member #4,787
May 24, 2004
1,742 Posts
Offline

May 27, 2004, 11:57 am

I wouldn't tell anyone ca
desparado

Johannesburg
South Africa
Member #4,640
May 12, 2004
178 Posts
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May 28, 2004, 6:48 am

I will definitely share my thoughts with my love.Only one................................
dphillips

Albuquerque, New Mexico
United States
Member #5,128
June 18, 2004
377 Posts
Offline

Jun 19, 2004, 12:00 am

Yeap, I am the one, dphillips, who is obsessed with privacy. Of course, I would lie and tell people (other than this post) that I did not win the lottery. Frankly speaking, it is none of their business, anyway! Here are some answers (if you must talk to those losers) you might want to consider:
1. You sued years ago and have won the lawsuit!
2. A rich aunt/uncle left you a windfall in their will and you are speechless!
3. You made profitable stock investments: Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Proctor & Gamble, or oil investments. Believe me, people have become rich (over a period of 10 or more years).
4. Your bank made an error in your favor. Hey, finder's keepers; loser's weepers!
reddog

Durham, North Carolina
United States
Member #1,616
June 5, 2003
4,752 Posts
Offline

Jun 20, 2004, 3:09 pm

Hey, I have plenty of real fri

Taking it one day at a time, because there's no way to know what might have been.
Tx_Mega_Player

BIG D Texas
United States
Member #2,539
October 16, 2003
148 Posts
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Jun 29, 2004, 2:16 am

I would only lie until I turned in the ticket. I would continue going to work as usual, and meet with my attorney after work. I would hold the ticket for about 2 ot 3 weeks while I put my affairs in order, and then one Friday I would call in sick and drive to the lottery headquarters. My friends, family, and co-workers wouldn't know a thing until they saw me on the news that Friday night. No need to lie after that, not has long has the word "NO!!!!" is still part of the English language. There is a select group of people that I would help, and I already have plans of that. Everyone else gets a NO!!! I would also still continue to work for another 4 to 6 weeks in order to allow for a smooth transition for the person that takes over my responsibilities. Afterall, I have worked just about continuously since I was 16, so what is another 4 weeks going to hurt.
CASH Only

United States
Member #379
June 5, 2002
11,296 Posts
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Jun 29, 2004, 8:41 pm

Same with me.
PrisonerSix

Baton Rouge, LA
United States
Member #4,602
May 7, 2004
1,192 Posts
Offline

Jul 15, 2004, 9:39 am

I wouldn't tell anyone at all. If it were a huge, Powerball style jackpot, I'd probably pack up and move someplace where nobody knows me. When you win, people come out of the woodwork wanting money. Also, with everyone around knowing you have the money, it's hard to know who your real friends are. I'd probably even go the extra mile and title property and put utilities in other names, to make myself harder to find.
Although I have never won a jackpot(the best I've ever won is $100 as a home player on Powerball Instant Millionaire), I did experience something similar when I was growing up, i.e. having something everyone else wanted, which influences my view. I tried to keep it secret because I wanted real friends, not people after something we had. My parents wanted me to use it to make friends and would sometimes try to get the word around school we had it and when that happened, I stopped trying to make friends because I didn't know who I could trust to be a real friend(assuming there is such a thing).
PrisonerSix
"I am not a number, I am a free man!"
MetroPlex

Richmond, VA
United States
Member #5,360
July 1, 2004
93 Posts
Offline

Jul 15, 2004, 9:51 am

Well, I've been unemployed for over a year...I don't have any friends now and the only people I talk to on a regular basis are my parents. Needless to say, no one would know I won until I claimed my prize...After that I would leave the state/area.

MP

Putting The Damage On.
heal3r

Florida
United States
Member #5,651
July 15, 2004
4 Posts
Offline

Jul 15, 2004, 1:12 pm

Might as well be a movie star. There is no privacy and no peace when you win. Someone is always finding you and calling you. Doesn't matter what you say when people ask if you won. They'll believe what they want to anyway.
My general practice is to answer a question with a question. I'm not giving you any information until your motives are clear.

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