Washington State lotto winners face a big hurdle: privacy

Winning the lottery is everyone's dream. Can you imagine what you would do with the money if you won the Mega Millions or Powerball?

Can You Remain Anonymous If You Win The Lottery In Washington State?

I've often thought about what I would do if I won the lottery but it also got me thinking about how many people will come out of the woodwork looking to get some of my newfound cash.

I saw a great video of a winner in Jamaica where they wore a "Scream" movie mask as they picked up their millions from the lottery.

We can all imagine why some people wait until the last minute to turn in their winnings for the fear of being "hounded" for their money.

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Only 16 States Allow Lottery Winners To Not Reveal Their Identities

It might surprise you to discover that you can't always keep your identity a secret if you win millions or even billions. Washington State is one state where keeping your winnings a secret might not be possible.

Yahoo! Finance explains which states allow a lottery winner to stay anonymous:

Unfortunately, only 16 states allow you to remain anonymous after winning a big prize in the state lottery. In most cases, you’ll need to request to remain anonymous. Some of these states only let you stay anonymous if you win more than a certain amount.

 

Even Anonymous Winners Have Restrictions

While 16 states allow anonymous lottery winners, it isn't always that simple.

Only Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Wyoming allow anonymity for all lottery winners, regardless of prize or circumstance. Montana also allows anonymous winners for all prizes, but may reveal your town or city.

Residents of New Mexico and Minnesota must be claiming a prize of $10,000 or more, while Arizona raises the stakes to $100,000. Meanwhile Illinois holds the limit at $250,000, Texas and West Virginia require you to win $1 million, and Virginia says you're not entitled unless you win at least $10 million!

How To Protect Your Identity in the Washington State Lotto

There are several ways in Washington State that you can still protect your winnings even if you can't hide your identity. You could set up a blind trust with specific guidelines to manage your money and hire financial experts to safeguard your money. Your best bet is to look for legal advice as you'll probably want a lawyer throughout the process.

• Did you know? Tri-Cities is ranked as one of the luckiest lotto places in Washington!

As for the onslaught of fandom you'll suddenly receive - there are endless possibilities of how to deal with that. I'd recommend putting a Batman mask on to pick up your Washington State lottery winnings. I'm sure that will get everyone buzzing.