As exciting as winning can be, it can also be equally confusing, or even a little bit daunting. What if you want to remain anonymous? What if you would rather keep your win to yourself? In this article, we answer these questions and look at why some lottery winners do choose to remain anonymous.
First up, let’s look at whether or not you can remain anonymous…
Can lottery winners remain anonymous in the UK?
Absolutely! Lottery winners can keep their anonymity in the UK.
If keeping your windfall under wraps is your preference, you are in luck - you can keep the big news to yourself.
Also, there is a common myth or misconception that remaining anonymous affects the amount of money you win. This is absolutely false - your decision about whether or not to go public has no bearing on your jackpot.
Why do lottery winners choose to remain anonymous?
For some people, the attention that comes with winning a big jackpot is unwanted, they prefer simply to keep the news to themselves.
It may seem daunting trying to imagine what would happen if you won a large sum of money. You may suddenly find yourself surrounded by family and friends you haven’t seen in years. Winners also sometimes worry about how a large windfall will change their lives not just for the better, but in some ways for the worse. Undoubtedly, the additional money can bring benefits, but the added stress of having to make big financial decisions suddenly can be more than some care to deal with.
Are there benefits to going public with a lottery win?
Believe it or not, there are benefits to going public. The problem with trying to keep something like winning big quiet is that eventually the truth will come out. Even if you tell only one person, that person will inevitably tell someone else. Another downside to keeping quiet is the potential half-truths and stories that you have to tell people around you to explain a sudden influx of money. Often, if you make a calm announcement in a controlled environment, generally the excitement will die down more quickly, allowing you to go back to your life.
You can read some of the stories of Health Lottery winners who went public here.
What do I do if I've won?
If you played The Health Lottery online, then claiming your winnings is easy. If you win £2,000 or less, your winnings are automatically deposited into your online account. If you play through a retail outlet, then you can claim up to £50 in store. Anything beyond this amount would have to be claimed by calling our Helpline where our team will be standing by to answer any questions you have and assist you in claiming your prize. They will also walk you through your next steps and answer any questions that you may have. You can email us at help@healthlottery.co.uk or call 0330 390 22 89. Calls are charged at local rate.
For more details you can also head to our FAQ page to find out how to claim your winnings.
If protecting your privacy is your utmost concern, then rest assured that your information is safe. Any information gathered is for us to establish your identity, determine whether or not you are legally allowed to claim a prize and that the selected form of payment is legitimate and that you are legally allowed to use it. This is part of our adherence to regulatory requirements and our commitment to social responsibility. If you are one of our lucky winners, then your information is not released without your consent.
We like to celebrate our winners, but only do so within the bounds of GDPR – so we may congratulate Tom from Aberdeenshire, Dick from Gwent or Harriet from Devon for winning big on The Big Win, QuickWin or one of our many popular Instant Win games.
If you have a distinctive name, like Daiva from Thetford, who won £25,000 by matching NO numbers playing All or Nothing, we’ll only use your initials – unless you specifically agree to being named (like Daiva did).
If you happen to be one of our lucky winners, you don't just get your prize - you get to choose whether to remain anonymous or to take your fifteen minutes of fame.
And, of course, just by playing you make a contribution to good causes - thousands of local health projects all across Britain have felt and continue to feel the benefit of your play.
So whether you win or not, or go public when you do or not, well played!
