Surprising number of Aussies who won't share their lottery winnings with family
While it might be the season for giving, a surprising amount of Aussies have admitted they would take a page from the Grinch’s playbook if they were to win big in the lottery this festive season.
Almost half of Australians claim they would lie about scoring a hefty chunk of cash, according to a survey conducted by The Lottery Office. Nearly 57 per cent of people revealed they would keep mum about winning the lotto, with 43 per cent of those asked said they would tell the truth.
Additionally, more than 33 per cent of people admitted they wouldn’t give a portion of the money to their children, while one in three said they would leave their in-laws out in the cold, according to the data collected from more than 100 Aussies over the age of 30.
With one half of respondents reporting money as the most stressful part of Christmas, the Lottery Office CEO Jaclyn Wood said financial stress appears to be at the forefront of people’s minds this festive season.
“It’s a magical time of year but can be incredibly stressful with lots of presents to buy, hosting duties and even family tensions. Unfortunately, money can often be a major instigator,” she said.
However, Ms Wood said that she doesn’t think “Aussies are grinches by any means”. “It’s just that financial struggles and stress can be easily exacerbated through the holiday period,” she said.
“In fact, when polled on how they would spend a lottery win in the lead up to the holidays, almost half of our survey respondents said they would splash out on hosting a big Christmas lunch for their loved ones.
“I think our data could read that if some people won the lottery, they would want to help their friends and family but wouldn’t simply gift them large sums of money. I think they would perhaps try to be more subtle and cautious.”
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Ms Wood said she hopes the US Mega Lotto jackpot of A$765 million this Saturday will help “ease the burden” and make one Aussie’s “Christmas wish come true”.
Those keen for an early holiday treat are eyeing up Thursday’s $50 million Powerball draw after previous draws failed to produce a division one winner. One-in-six adults are expected to enter.
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