Someone could win $1.8B Powerball jackpot Saturday. Odds are their identity will remain a mystery

In 1999, Iowa gas station employee Timothy Schultz decided to have a press conference after winning a $ 29 million lottery bonus in 1999. Lottery officials, the name of the state law, still required to be explained, “the media not hunted by the media,” he said.

However, at the time, the 21-year-old boy felt the results of his nightwear.

He felt like “deer in the headlights ve and his life changed immediately: Foreigners wanted to sign regularly or ın rub for good luck”. Shultz, now 40 years old, said he would consider staying anonymous today if the election is made today.

“I wasn’t just a team anymore, I was in Tim who won the lottery,” Shultz said.

For Saturday’s drawing for $ 1.8 billion

Saturday 1.8 billion dollars of powerball bonus Even if it is the second largest in history, but even a winner, don’t expect to find out who they are or how they plan to use their earnings.

MPs in many states Has changed the rules in recent years To protect the winners from targeting criminals and unscrupulous people who want money. And even in two dozen states where names are explained, it is recommended to avoid public control.

Kurt Panouses is a lottery lawyer representing winners for decades, Including some of hundreds of millions.

Panouses advises its customers to use intermediaries in possible places and request their rewards on intense news days such as election day to avoid scope.

Panels regularly try to reach their customers, all of them from investors, scammers and people in need.

“It’s hard for people who don’t have an experience or life perspective to say no,” Panoures said.

Lottery has a long public explanation history

It wasn’t always like that. For centuries, the public announcement of those who have won tickets was an important part of ensuring that people can rely on the lottery.

The lottery in the United States dates back to the 1700s when governments use them to collect money, as they are now. For a dollar and a dream: Jonathan D. Cohen, the author of the State Lottery in Modern America ,, said that they were born out of an apparent American state services without paying taxes for them ”.

Previously, it was more like a lottery. The winners would be announced at fairs with ticket owners in the audience.

In the 1980s, in some states, Cohen said that people would buy tickets for Jackpot games with face -to -face drawings. About 20 people would stand on the stage and one would win. Emotional personal stories helped to increase the popularity of lottery.

“This is the housewife, that’s an orphan, Coen Cohen said. “The winner of the lottery is sitting there and of course he starts to cry immediately.”

He said that large multi -state lottery such as Powerball and Mega Millions, when no one wins and always produces bigger bonuses, he said. Human reduced its element, but allowed greater awards.

Nine states allow all lottery winners to remain completely anonymous for all lottery. Ten states allow lottery winners to remain anonymous for a certain amount of earnings and vary from $ 10,000 in Minnesota to 10 million dollars in Virginia.

In some states where there is no anonymity for individual winners, people can claim anonymous award through special confidences.

Lawyer Mark K. HARDER Claimed $ 842.4 million Bonus on behalf of a Michigan couple in 2024.

In addition to security concerns, more difficult, the couple said that they want to be perceived as “always perceived”.

Harder said that the family had rented a public relations team to examine social media profiles to make sure that they did not give anything unintentionally.

He regretted that he hit at least one winner bonus

In a well -known situation, Andrew “Jack” Whittaker Jr. In 2002, Western Virginia became an instant celebrity that he won an $ 113.4 million collective after taxes. It was the largest US Lottery bonus to have won with a single ticket.

However, he quickly sacrificed scandals, cases and personal disruptions and said that he wished to tear the ticket. He died in 2020.

Cohen said that such wellly announced examples are contrary. He said that the majority of the winners are healthier and richer than the winners.

In the meantime, states are interested in explaining names to prevent fraud and increase confidence.

“You don’t want the piango director’s nephew to win every bonus and just claim to claim it as anonymous, and nobody knows who he is,” he said.

He said that the states, the names of the winners to be announced to the lottery commissions, said that it has mechanisms to prevent such sub -price.

The winner of the biggest bonus so far has purchased his ticket in California, which required a statement. Edwin Castro made a written statement after demanding 2022. 2.04 billion dollars worth of bonuses But he refused to talk to journalists.

Last year, Laotian is a immigrant and Survival of winning cancer A 1.3 billion dollars of powerball bonus At a press conference, the latest trends pulled a big check above his head. Shultz said these stories were worth with him.

“I think they can be really positive if they want to inspire other people,” he said.