Were the lotto winners mad to go so public?

I know if I should ever be so lucky as to have a major lottery win I couldn’t wait to share the news with those closest to me. However I would keep very quiet publicly about it, as I wouldn’t want to be forever more pestered by the both the somewhat needy and the downright greedy. That said I would most definitely be generously sharing my win, but at my own bidding. These winners from Tyrone seem very nice decent people, but for their own peace and safety sake, and the sake of their family, I cannot imagine what made them go out on a limb to publicize their win. Is it naivety?

Raging_Ninja

Is anonymity available for the euromillions?

mad muffin

Raging_Ninja wrote: »

Is anonymity available for the euromillions?

Of course.



I wouldn’t have gone public. FÜCK that.

Agent Smith

I Imagine The local "Community activists" will be making a visit to them.

Madness to come forward!

_Kaiser_

I wouldn't have said anything. They make themselves a target for sackloads of begging letters and sob stories, hundreds of "friends" coming crawling out of the woodwork looking for a handout, as well as the security concerns.

A handful of people would know I'd won the full amount (like 2/3). Others would be told I'd won something (to deflect from the sudden obvious wealth like a car or house). Most of the money would be locked up and I'd live off the interest with provisions made for immediate family and my son's future.

oLoonatic

There is no way you could actually keep it quiet, especially in Ireland!!! you may as well take the media appearance fees and go public.

Zorya

Don't think they had a choice with Euromillions.

If I won anything big I don't even know if I would tell my husband to be honest . He's an awful fella for blurting out stuff. I would tell no one. Family and friends would secretly get lots of money from anonymous sources, I would definitely share, but really, really sneakily.

_Kaiser_

oLoonatic wrote: »

There is no way you could actually keep it quiet, especially in Ireland!!! you may as well take the media appearance fees and go public.

Disagree.. Maybe in smaller rural areas, but in Dublin or any large town I'd say it's very possible.

I'm living where I am 3 years (a year in my current place) and no-one would know me. Keep myself to myself.

Tabnabs

Absolute fools, I'd be on the next flight to Switzerland to take it all in. Plenty of lottery winners in Ireland that have gone completely under the radar. These folks have just burned the bridges with their old life and anyone who didn't make it onto their list.

Guy:Incognito

I'm sure if you don't go public no one would notice you suddenly have 130m........

mad muffin

Zorya wrote: »

Don't think they had a choice with Euromillions.

If I won anything big I don't even know if I would tell my husband to be honest . He's an awful fella for blurting out stuff. I would tell no one. Family and friends would secretly get lots of money from anonymous sources, I would definitely share, but really, really sneakily.

Are you sure? Why would they make you go public?

Pauliedragon

About a kilo of coke, a month of daily high priced hookers and some snaps from 5 star hotels around the world I'm sure my local community would figure out very quickly that I came into some money.

Zorya

mad muffin wrote: »

Are you sure? Why would they make you go public?

D'you know I just presumed that because they had gone public that they HAD to go public. Because otherwise it looks like lunacy.

RichT

They'll be safe and sound............:rolleyes:

Asked if they had thought about their personal security, Mrs Connolly joked: "I've never met anyone I couldn't take down myself!"

I suspect that might come back to bite them on the ass!

FrancieBrady

Zorya wrote: »

D'you know I just presumed that because they had gone public that they HAD to go public. Because otherwise it looks like lunacy.

I'd imagine it is because they don't want to be restricted in how they spend it, and they seem intent on spending it, having indicated that 50 people will benefit. Fair play to them imo.

There is no compulsion to go public if you don't want to.

TheJet

I recall been told before that Camelot push the winners to go public unlike or own National Lottery. There is nothing extra for going public but as this couple have made a list and those who will be fortunate to benefit, surely if they didnt go public, someone on that list would have certainly left it "slip".

I personally wouldn't go public with a win of that magnitude or even half a mill win.....I would like to think that I would be cute enough without been too obvious!

bizidea

Yes they were

Agricola

Nuts. Effectively putting a target on your forehead for all kinds of annoyance and that's before you even talk about the number of certified gangsters that might take a shine to you and your new nest egg.

I'd be getting the monies wired to my account and taking the next plane to the Costa Del Loaded

FrancieBrady

When a EuroMillions player is lucky enough to win the jackpot or a very large prize, they have several tough decisions to make, the biggest of which is whether to go public or remain anonymous. While many winners decide to claim their prizes quietly, there are those who decide to reveal their identities and speak publicly about their win; according to Andy Carter, the Senior Winners’ Advisor at The National Lottery, this figure is as low as 15 percent.

"Regardless of whether they tick the "no publicity" box or choose the press conference and champagne reception, all UK winners are promised support, including financial and legal advice, from the National Lottery."

https://www.euro-millions.com/publicity

DEFTLEFTHAND

How do you hide it though?

Seems impossible.

Zorya

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

How do you hide it though?

Seems impossible.

Just stay classy. Be a barefoot billionaire.

El_Duderino 09

They'll spend the rest of their lives saying 'no' to people with worthy causes and conmen offering to invest the money for them. Everyone will be looking for something for nothing. Sounds miserable.

Really foolish to go public. They could have donated anonymously if they wanted to help people.

_Kaiser_

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

How do you hide it though?

Seems impossible.

It's easy...

Just tell people that you won the top lower prize. That will account for the new car, better/new house and day to day stuff like phones, clothes etc

Tell almost no-one the truth (in my case that'd be 2/3 people).

I also wouldn't stay living where I am, so that also helps with anonymity. Similarly, if I decided to quit work I'd just "get a new job", work out my notice and leave. You never hear from 99% of colleagues again anyway.

Teyla Emmagan

They were mad to go public. They will be plagued now for life. And everyone related to them will need security.

If it were me I would just admit to winning a much smaller amount. Enough to explain a new house. As long as you don't have a helicopter parked outside who would know any different?

Zorya

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

They were mad to go public. They will be plagued now for life. And everyone related to them will need security.

If it were me I would just admit to winning a much smaller amount. Enough to explain a new house. As long as you don't have a helicopter parked outside who would know any different?

Yeah I hadn't even thought of the poor relations who are going to be plagued now. It's quite a foolish and irresponsible thing to do, really.

If you were wandering around the world, enjoying the place for the next 50 years, no one need ever know your bank account details.

Mrcaramelchoc

Yes they are bat**** crazy going public.no good reason for it at all.

Spanish Eyes

I think Dolores Mc managed to stay beneath the radar, and live in Killaloe or wherever.

I would buy a gaff in the Embassy Belt in D4, and live out my life in peace like all the v. wealthy residents there seem to do. No one questions where THEIR wealth comes from.

Teyla Emmagan

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

It's easy...

Exactly. If you kept a low enough profile no one would ever know. As long as you didn't run screaming up and down the street initially you could keep a lid on it. Retire quietly, move house, give money out slowly. Not buy a fleet of red Ferraris for your whole family. No one would have anything but their suspicions. They wouldn't be able to prove you won what when.

FrancieBrady

Is the point here, don't get rich because you will be plagued by gangsters and spongers?

Plenty of rich people don't seem to have any major problem with it...not to the point of giving all their money away. In fact many of them seem to enjoy letting others know how wealthy they are.

Seems the choice is, do you want to hide the fact you are wealthy and all the pain in the arse stuff that would mean or just enjoy the wealth and allow others to enjoy a bit of it too.

I can just imagine what a pain it would be to have to be secretive about it tbh.

Spanish Eyes

I also would not gift anything to family... BUT I would invent a syndicate amongst them instead. No Gift Tax!

There is no Gift Tax in UK but if you don't survive for 7 years after the gift, it is charged to inheritance tax.

twowheelsonly

Not just mad but stupid as well. €130m worth of stupid to be precise.

There's so many ways to hide that wealth yet also be generous. I'm sure they're lovely people but coming out and saying that there's about 50 people they want to look after is foolish as well. Everyone who they ever met is now expecting a slice of the pie. Some will be bitter as **** once they hear they didn't 'make the cut' , others will be edging in to try to make the cut.

They have 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Look after them and decide on the rest afterwards.

_Kaiser_

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Is the point here, don't get rich because you will be plagued by gangsters and spongers?

Plenty of rich people don't seem to have any major problem with it...not to the point of giving all their money away. In fact many of them seem to enjoy letting others know how wealthy they are.

Seems the choice is, do you want to hide the fact you are wealthy and all the pain in the arse stuff that would mean or just enjoy the wealth and allow others to enjoy a bit of it too.

I can just imagine what a pain it would be to have to be secretive about it tbh.

It's only in those initial weeks/months that secrecy and caution would be needed until you get the cash, get the right advice, make a plan, and start implementing it.

99% of people with that sort of money wouldn't stay living where they are I'd imagine.. that takes care of nosey neighbours

A similar percentage with €130m would give up work. Resign saying you were offered a better job. You'll never hear from those colleagues again anyway.. that takes care of work

Move then to a much richer neighbourhood (or in my case probably out of the country for a lot of the time), or build your own Southfork ranch, where wealth like that isn't a big thing.

Enjoy life and tell only those who you WANT to know.. tell the rest whatever you like!

valoren

With that much cash, you could actually hire a lookalike and have them temporarily live in your gaff to avoid suspicion while you're getting set up abroad. Their role would be to do everyday mundane things without arousing suspicion.

They'd have to sign a non disclosure agreement of course and after a few weeks they get their fee. If Mr Burns in the Simpsons can convince a gullible Bart that an Estonian midget is actually his sister then anything is possible.

Agricola

It's just like in Goodfellas. Don't change your daily routine immediately. Don't buy anything expensive, like a Cadillac or a fur coat!

Zorya

It would be great to win that amount. You could have loads of fun going to different remote places round the world, setting up micro-industries in small communities, give your children enough for houses and an investment fund, and then keep a couple of million for yourself to help with the sailing off into the sunset part of life. I would be living in a beach hut in Asia in a flash, and no one would know a single thing about my dosh.

Franz Von Peppercorn

oLoonatic wrote: »

There is no way you could actually keep it quiet, especially in Ireland!!! you may as well take the media appearance fees and go public.

Yeh you can. I should know.

Oops.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I think Dolores Mc managed to stay beneath the radar, and live in Killaloe or wherever.

I would buy a gaff in the Embassy Belt in D4, and live out my life in peace like all the v. wealthy residents there seem to do. No one questions where THEIR wealth comes from.

That’s exactly what you should do if you went public. Get a place with a big gate. Get some body guards. Get a chauffeur. I don’t see these places being burgled. Poor 80 year olds down the country yes. The rich, no.

I personally would keep it very quiet. There are no members in my family in any financial need, and I don’t have any descendants, but I would be looking to pay education fees, medical expenses; pay for holidays I know a couple of people could well do with, pay for mobility devices, spread lots of it about in those sorts of ways without making big promises to people. There are no people bar my next-of-kin I would notify of exact winnings, I live in a very anonymous pleasant south Dublin estate complex with apartments and houses. I would tell my cousins (not so many of them, all very discreet and fairly well-heeled professional types) had a very decent winning, and that I intended to move to my dream suburb of Dalkey and be able to afford the property tax there. Might keep a particularly safe trustworthy Koliber (Polish) light airplane for some years, for a bit of fun, that I could fly in the company of paid instructors/pilots (I learned how to fly when young but barred from keeping license due to 1980 sight requirements), take Business Class when doing long haul to be able to lie flat, and more travel to Greenland, Norway, etc. I am not a blingy type, so between all I don’t think it would be conspicuous that I had this amount to my name. I don’t like big fast cars, so I’d keep the nice hybrid one I have, except maybe get the bigger model for more luggage space. My improved lifestyle would be very much in keeping with my known aspirations, some of the things I already occasionally do, and past hobbies. Oh, I would also take some helicopter lesions (€500 a go) on top of the two tantalizing ones I took over past twenty years in lieu of travel. But the most fun would be doing the secret Santa and solving financial problems for people, on the quiet.

Wheety

Did Dolores have kidnap attempts on her children? You'd need to hire bodyguards.

Franz Von Peppercorn

130M is huge. Winning the Irish lottery with its 3M average in general you probably don’t need protection. There’s lots of quiet millionaires out there.

With 130M if you spent 240k a year on security (3 people on 80k, 6 on 40k. I don’t know the actual rates), you would spend <2% of the capital per decade which - with a decent financial advisor - shouldn’t eat into capital at all.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

That’s exactly what you should do if you went public. Get a place with a big gate. Get some body guards. Get a chauffeur. I don’t see these places being burgled. Poor 80 year olds down the country yes. The rich, no.

The poor 80 year old down the country keeps much of her meagre money under the mattress, that’s the problem. The wealthy tend don’t tend to keep cash or items that can be quickly flogged off by these opportunist criminals.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

130M is huge. Winning the Irish lottery with its 3M average in general you probably don’t need protection. There’s lots of quiet millionaires out there.

With 130M if you spent 240k a year on security (3 people on 80k, 6 on 40k. I don’t know the actual rates), you would spend <2% of the capital per decade which - with a decent financial advisor - shouldn’t eat into capital at all.

I would rather not win this kind of money and have my whole life surrounded by security. Would be keen to offload some and maybe build some sort of community facilities (eg holiday centre for disabled, etc) and staff and maintain it for at least 20 years ahead. I’m pretty sure various things like this have been done by likes of previous winners. I could never hope to spend that amount in my lifetime ahead and would never want a life locked in behind gates protected by security.

gandalf

Silly people, they have effectively painted a big target on their backs.

PARlance

valoren wrote: »

With that much cash, you could actually hire a lookalike and have them temporarily live in your gaff to avoid suspicion while you're getting set up abroad. Their role would be to do everyday mundane things without arousing suspicion.

They'd have to sign a non disclosure agreement of course and after a few weeks they get their fee. If Mr Burns in the Simpsons can convince a gullible Bart that an Estonian midget is actually his sister then anything is possible.

Good idea but the missus would probably suss it out after a week or two.

Franz Von Peppercorn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I would rather not win this kind of money and have my whole life surrounded by security. Would be keen to offload some and maybe build some sort of community facilities (eg holiday centre for disabled, etc) and staff and maintain it for at least 20 years ahead. I’m pretty sure various things like this have been done by likes of previous winners. I could never hope to spend that amount in my lifetime ahead and would never want a life locked in behind gates protected by security.

You’d have to give most of it away to achieve that. Anyway if you didn’t want the money why were you (in this thought experiment) buying a lottery ticket. Have to assume lottery ticket winners want to be rich. And stay rich.

Titzon Toast

So long as I get my solid gold house and my rocket car, I wouldn't care who found out I'd won.

Dakota Dan

twowheelsonly wrote: »

Not just mad but stupid as well. €130m worth of stupid to be precise.

There's so many ways to hide that wealth yet also be generous. I'm sure they're lovely people but coming out and saying that there's about 50 people they want to look after is foolish as well. Everyone who they ever met is now expecting a slice of the pie. Some will be bitter as **** once they hear they didn't 'make the cut' , others will be edging in to try to make the cut.

They have 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Look after them and decide on the rest afterwards.

When you start giving handouts they'll be back for more and if they don't get there will be bitterness.

El_Bee

I'd be scared of my family and friends being kidnapped, I mean the guys who did all the tiger kidnappings are all still around arent they?

facehugger99

Agricola wrote: »

It's just like in Goodfellas. Don't change your daily routine immediately. Don't buy anything expensive, like a Cadillac or a fur coat!

That’s exactly what I’d do.

6 months of clocking in and out of work, same car, same clothes ( well I’d change my clothes).

Wouldn’t say anything to anyone other than immediate family. I’d wait until everyone had forgotten about any Euromillions winner.

Too many shysters and criminals out there. Why make yourself ( or your family) a target for them.

Aidric

oLoonatic wrote: »

There is no way you could actually keep it quiet, especially in Ireland!!! you may as well take the media appearance fees and go public.

'appearance fees'? Lol, they just won 115MM. Why should they care about appearance fees?

dxhound2005

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I wouldn't have said anything. They make themselves a target for sackloads of begging letters and sob stories, hundreds of "friends" coming crawling out of the woodwork looking for a handout, as well as the security concerns.

A handful of people would know I'd won the full amount (like 2/3). Others would be told I'd won something (to deflect from the sudden obvious wealth like a car or house). Most of the money would be locked up and I'd live off the interest with provisions made for immediate family and my son's future.

Is there any evidence for this? I am not going to send a begging letter. Are you? It is very easy to ignore them even if they come.

I think it would be more of a mental burden to have 130 million and not be able to let people know. Any interest will die down soon enough. There are multi millionaires regularly on Lotto games, and I never heard of any of them suffering as a result.