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In most states, the biggest issue is still the one of anonymity. I wonder if there’s a way around that by selling/auctioning off your winning ticket to somebod

by TomVDB 8y ago

In most states, the biggest issue is still the one of anonymity. I wonder if there’s a way around that by selling/auctioning off your winning ticket to somebody who’s already famous and, say, a billionaire at a discount.

sjg007 8y ago
I don't know why there hasn't been a lawsuit about this yet. Maybe there will be at the Federal level. Since some states allow anonymity and as such the powerball agreements do then it seems unreasonable for states to require public disclosure.
- janesvilleseo 8y ago
  There has been at least one recent lawsuit https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/12/news/powerball-winner-anonymous/index.html https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/12/news/powerball-winner-anony...
  - TomVDB 8y ago
    That was a different situation though: NH allows trusts to claim the ticket, but only if the ticket is signed by the trust representatives. The woman in question had already signed the ticket in her own name before setting up the trust. Most states don’t allow trusts to claim a ticket at all.
ThrowawayR2 8y ago
There are various articles saying that the winning ticket can be transferred to a LLC or trust owned by the ticket holder to shield their identity from the public, e.g. https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertpagliarini/2016/01/12/how-to-remain-anonymous-if-you-win-the-lottery/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertpagliarini/2016/01/12/how...
neonIcon 8y ago
Surprisingly only 8 states allow you to claim it anonymously..
scrumper 8y ago
Perhaps simply selling your (unsigned) winning ticket to _anyone_ for payment after they collect would work. After all, they're going to be a centimillionaire as soon as they cash the ticket in. If I lived in a non-anonymous state I would seriously consider taking, say, $100m and letting someone else have the balance of the jackpot in exchange for them taking all the publicity. Would be rather tough to find a trustworthy buyer, would need strong contracts, and some means of enforcing collection since if you need to go to court you're not anonymous anymore and there's no possibility of using escrow. Not in principle impossible since a lottery ticket is a bearer instrument.
BrandoElFollito 8y ago
Interestingly, anonymity is the default in France. One is actually encouraged by the lottery to stay anonymous and they are immediately presented private bankers to help handle the money. And people will still go public, I think this is because of the fame which they do not realize to be extremely short lived for the general population but becomes a nightmare with friends, family and other people your barely know.

by TomVDB 8y ago

sjg007 8y ago

I don't know why there hasn't been a lawsuit about this yet. Maybe there will be at the Federal level. Since some states allow anonymity and as such the powerball agreements do then it seems unreasonable for states to require public disclosure.

janesvilleseo 8y ago
There has been at least one recent lawsuit https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/12/news/powerball-winner-anonymous/index.html https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/12/news/powerball-winner-anony...
- TomVDB 8y ago
  That was a different situation though: NH allows trusts to claim the ticket, but only if the ticket is signed by the trust representatives. The woman in question had already signed the ticket in her own name before setting up the trust. Most states don’t allow trusts to claim a ticket at all.

ThrowawayR2 8y ago

There are various articles saying that the winning ticket can be transferred to a LLC or trust owned by the ticket holder to shield their identity from the public, e.g. https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertpagliarini/2016/01/12/how-to-remain-anonymous-if-you-win-the-lottery/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertpagliarini/2016/01/12/how...

neonIcon 8y ago

Surprisingly only 8 states allow you to claim it anonymously..

scrumper 8y ago

Perhaps simply selling your (unsigned) winning ticket to _anyone_ for payment after they collect would work. After all, they're going to be a centimillionaire as soon as they cash the ticket in. If I lived in a non-anonymous state I would seriously consider taking, say, $100m and letting someone else have the balance of the jackpot in exchange for them taking all the publicity. Would be rather tough to find a trustworthy buyer, would need strong contracts, and some means of enforcing collection since if you need to go to court you're not anonymous anymore and there's no possibility of using escrow. Not in principle impossible since a lottery ticket is a bearer instrument.

BrandoElFollito 8y ago

Interestingly, anonymity is the default in France. One is actually encouraged by the lottery to stay anonymous and they are immediately presented private bankers to help handle the money. And people will still go public, I think this is because of the fame which they do not realize to be extremely short lived for the general population but becomes a nightmare with friends, family and other people your barely know.