with the mega millions The jackpot is up to $1.55 billion, people across the United States are embracing their dreams of wealth and spending their dollars In stores, gas stations, and other places that sell lottery tickets in hopes of winning big.
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If you win Mega Millions Tuesday, August 8, 2023 and choose the cash option, you will receive a total amount of approximately $757.2 million, Fox News reports. After the IRS takes a 24% federal tax cut from above, you’ll be out with about $575.4 million.
Either way, this is the money that changes most people’s lives. Experts suggest that if you win, you should keep it a secret for as long as possible.
That’s because winning that much money makes you a target—not just for robbery, kidnapping, and other scams—but even friends and relatives who come out of the woodwork asking for money.
Unfortunately, only 16 states allow you to remain anonymous after winning a big prize in the state lottery. In most cases, you will need to request anonymity. Some of these countries only allow you to remain anonymous if you win more than a certain amount.
16 countries where lottery jackpot winners can remain anonymous
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Arizona (only for winners over $100,000, but city and county will be revealed)
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Delaware
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Illinois (only for winners over $250,000)
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Kansas
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Maryland
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Minnesota (only for $10,000+ winners)
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Mississippi
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Missouri
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Montana (town or city may be disclosed)
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New Jersey
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New Mexico (only for $10,000+ winners, but you can request anonymity if you have security concerns)
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North Dakota
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South Carolina
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Texas (only for Million Dollar+ winners)
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Virginia (only for $10 million+ winners)
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West Virginia (only for Million Dollar+ winners)
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Wyoming
Why can’t other state winners remain anonymous?
As you can tell from the list above, the majority of states require lottery winners to disclose their identities. In many states, lottery winners are a matter of public records, so even if the win isn’t promoted by the state lottery, it’s readily available to anyone who wants to look it up.
For example, the winners in Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee keep open records of their lottery prize payments, so there is no way to hide the information. However, you may be able to request that your name not be made public, although it will still be available upon request.
New York, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin and California have disclosure laws that require the lottery winner’s name to be made public. In Colorado, your first name and the first letter of your last name will be listed on the state lottery website.
These laws exist to show that the lottery is being run honestly and that the money is being paid to a real person, according to the North American Lottery Association and Regional Lottery.
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In addition, showing real winners and sharing their stories can inspire others to buy lottery tickets in the future, helping to increase revenue in states that sell lottery tickets.
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This article originally appeared GOBankingRates.com: You can remain anonymous if you hit the jackpot of millions in these 16 states – why not?
