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SEA_tide t1_jb4qik8 wrote

The state of Washington prohibits winners from being anonymous. Note however that the winner didn't have any publicity photos taken, which is something, but there are likely photos of them out there somewhere.

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UnpopularCrayon t1_jb510d4 wrote

I've got to think that if you can hire the right team of lawyers, you can come up with a way to claim it without revealing your identity. If not, I'd be changing my name right after.

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SEA_tide t1_jb51mu0 wrote

A number of states have laws specifically disallowing lottery winnings to be claimed by more than 1-4 people and require that their full names be disclosed. A name change later on is an option though.

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[deleted] t1_jb53d84 wrote

It's funny to see how much worse the USA is in regards to lottery wins, than my country (UK)..

I always think of rights to privacy, less state intervention, less taxes, etc when I think of the USA. A country where individualism is king.

Yet in the UK you never have to tell anyone you've won a jackpot on a lottery, and there's zero taxes on gambling winnings.

Seems like such a cursed monkey paw wish to win hundreds of millions, only to have to broadcast the fact to everyone by law.

In the UK there's a running theme of big winners regretting going public (by choice)..

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kevo31415 t1_jb6tmmd wrote

One of the only reason lotteries are legal (many are state sponsored) is the government tax the crap out of it. With that much money, there is also a history of fraud and cheating, so it doesn't surprise me that state governments are anal about lottery winners being on the public record.

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UnpopularCrayon t1_jb536gx wrote

Right, but say it is claimed by one person. An attorney. Who you hired and contracted to claim it. And the money is then transferred into a trust for you by the attorney.

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