Where in the world to win the lottery - and keep your privacy, too
Tuesday, 6 February 2018
Winning $769 million might sound like a dream come true, but it's been anything but for an American lottery winner fighting to maintain her privacy.
The New Hampshire woman, known only as Jane Doe, could see her bank account rise to nine digits – but only if she agrees to have her name released to the public.
She's asking a judge to let her keep the winnings while keeping her name quiet, as she wants to live 'far from the glare and misfortune that has often fallen upon other lottery winners'.
New Hampshire law isn't on her side – but would you have to sacrifice privacy for money anywhere else?
**READ MORE:
* To collect a $769 million lotto win she has to make her name public. She refuses
* Estranged children could seek share of 'substantial' Lotto winner's estate
* Telling someone they've won Lotto
* Lotto dreams can have a downside**
NEW ZEALAND
By law, Lotto winners in New Zealand can choose to remain anonymous – and most do.
Since the first Lotto draw more than 30 years ago, 87 people have won at least $5 million. The majority have stayed out of the spotlight.
According to a 2017 survey of Lotto winners, most tell only their significant other and immediate family of their windfall, while five per cent keep it entirely to themselves.
Lotto spokeswoman Emilia Mazur said she had been working for Lotto for six years, and 'only a handful' of winners had chosen to go public during that time.
'The vast majority choose to remain anonymous – I'd say 99.5 per cent.'
Some, like high-profile Lotto winner Trevor Cooper, ride the wave of good fortune out in the open.
Cooper was 37 and working as a checkout operator in Huntly when he won $27 million.
'Nothing is going to change. At the end of the day my bank balance is a phone number, but I love my job,' Cooper said when he won.
Things did change: Cooper bought at least five properties and a swag of cars, but was reportedly estranged from some family members and harangued by strangers for cash.
In 2009, a Masterton family syndicate went public after winning $36.8m.
They were photographed after their win, but chose not to reveal their last names.
One of the syndicate members, Siobhan, said she expected the family would be hounded by people who could make them feel guilty for the money.
Word of their win had quickly travelled through their small town, and they had decided to hold a press conference to 'get it all over and done with', the family said.
'Then hopefully we can get on with our lives.'
Mazur said Lotto had no intention of introducing requirements for winners to go public.
if winners chose to remain anonymous, Lotto supported them 'as much as we can' by not providing any identifying information in press releases.
She said it was 'hard to say' if Lotto would still be as popular if the laws changed and winners had to disclose their names and locations.
'I think people would still be pretty happy to win $30 million.'
AUSTRALIA
Powerball and Lotto winners across the ditch also have the option of full privacy.
The Oz Lotteries website urges winners to remain anonymous – and, like here, the majority of them do.
'While it's a perfectly normal reaction to want to celebrate such a life-changing event, many winners choose anonymity over five minutes of fame, to avoid unwanted attention from distant relatives, fake friends and scammers,' the website reads.
'Try to keep the news within your inner circle, as those closest to you are the most unlikely to exploit your newfound fortune.
'Big news like this is easily leaked and can quickly spread. And while it may not necessarily be broadcast by the media, you could still end up being identified.'
UNITED STATES
Only six states – Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina – allow lottery winners to remain anonymous.
If you've won big in any other state, by law, winners must have their names publicised.
Most are also required to give mandatory press conferences.
In a handful of states, prizes can be awarded to a trust and a trustee – usually an attorney – can collect the cheque without disclosing an individual's name.
In others, including Illinois and Oregon, winners can remain anonymous if they can demonstrate a high risk of harm.
In Jane Doe's case, officials say the integrity of the lottery depends on the public identification of its winners as a protection against fraud and malfeasance.
But she wants the 'freedom to walk into a grocery store or attend public events without being known or targeted as the winner of a half-billion dollars'.
That's a freedom Mavis Wanczyk signed away as she received her check for US$480m (about NZD $1 billion) in 2016.
The following day, a police car was parked in her driveway as members of the media and complete strangers descended on her neighbourhood, asking people where she lived.
UNITED KINGDOM AND EUROPE
Under United Kingdom law, lottery players can opt for partial publicity, allowing details such as their age, occupation and general location to be reported.
But if players opt for total anonymity the National Lottery does not even reveal the area where the winning ticket was won.
EuroMillions lottery players – across nine European countries – all have the right to total privacy if wanted.
Colin and Christine Weir went public after winning Britain's largest ever lottery jackpot of £185m (NZD$314m) in July 2011, saying they didn't think they could keep their good fortune a secret without lying to friends and family.
Shortly afterward, they were reportedly inundated with hundreds of letters from strangers begging for money, and travelled to Spain with their children to avoid the attention.