The thought of winning the lottery keeps some players awake at night. We imagine all the different ways millions can change our lives. Some players dream about paying off their debts or buying a new house. Others want to help charity. While winning the lottery can give you a better life, it can also bring along troubles. So, China’s lottery winners found a solution.
They decided to remain anonymous. In other parts of the world, a lottery winner can stay anonymous but in China, it works differently. Winners not only have to reveal their identities, but they also have to collect the prizes themselves. So, this could be a problem for those who wish to remain anonymous. Over the years, China’s lottery winners have worn costumes.
These costumes range from Mickey Mouse to Panda costumes. Most have nothing to do with TV characters though. Regardless of the costume, it served two purposes. The lottery winners were able to fulfil the legal obligation but, keep their identities hidden at the same time. Below are some of our favourite costumes.
The Baymax Costume
The Baymax character from the movie, Big Hero 6 was lovable and caring. He was also a lucky character so that could be why this lottery winner from Chengdu chose the Baymax costume. The costume was cute, and so was the lottery prize.
The winner won a prize of RMB 172 million (the equivalent of EUR 22 million). That is a lot of money, which could have jeopardized their safety. Besides, friends and family tend to become demanding when people win the lottery. So, even though he said his wife forced him to wear the costume, it did a good job of protecting his identity.
China’s masked lottery winner
Our second favourite costume was not taken from any TV show. It was a man in a black outfit, a wig, black sunglasses, a hat and a mask. His mask and the security personnel that escorted him to collect his winnings made him feel protected.
He won the equivalent of EUR 10.84 million and a lot of care was taken for his protection. First, the lottery officials led him through a secret passage when he went to collect his winnings. Then, they informed the local authorities of his win, including the police and the bank. Finally, the officials went with him to the bank as he deposited his money.
Guess he had to be extra careful about securing his hard-earned lottery win. Interestingly, reports said that he kept even his wife in the dark about his winnings.
The Panda was lucky
The man in the Panda costume almost forgot to collect his winnings because he did not remember to check his ticket. Luckily, he checked it just in time to come forward to collect his prize of over EUR 74 million. The Panda must be a lucky animal, right?
His numbers were also lucky because of the way he chose them. According to him, he woke up that day at 6 AM, had breakfast at 7 AM and, bought his ticket for RMB9. So, yes he was indeed one lucky lottery winner.
Why China’s lottery winners remain anonymous
We are not sure exactly why China’s lottery winners decided to remain anonymous, but we can guess. Lottery winners in different countries have suffered tragedies as a result of their wins. Some have been targets of criminals, scams and all sorts of horror stories.
Therefore, many winners have decided that keeping their identity anonymous is the safest thing to do. As a result, more lottery winners are choosing anonymity to remain safe. Also, it spares them from the pressure of friends and family.
Get Started on your lottery win
The stories of China’s lottery winners could be yours. That is not to say that you need to wear a costume, not unless you want to. Thankfully, many countries allow their lottery winners to remain anonymous without resorting to costumes. If you would like to enter top international lotteries, register with us today.
