# Suppose you won the Lottery, how would you claim it?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-you-won-the-lottery-how-would-you-claim-it/340388>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 17, 2006, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-you-won-the-lottery-how-would-you-claim-it/340388 "2006-01-17T18:33:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-you-won-the-lottery-how-would-you-claim-it/340388/41 "2006-01-20T16:36:19Z")

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I work for a the [British Columbia Lottery Corporation](http://www.bclc.com).

In Canada, you have to collect your winnings in person. And you have to have your picture taken with a big-ass cheque if we want to take it. That clause is on the back of every lottery ticket sold, usually every time a big winner wins they try to fight that clause but it’s never been over-turned.

One bright side to winning the lottery in Canada, it’s **100% tax free**! Our jackpots don’t get quite as high as the big Power Ball lotteries, but one of our national lotteries (6/49) was over $50 million a few months ago.

A word to the wise, if you are buying tickets in a pool (with coworkers, friends, family, etc.) use a [Group Agreement](http://www.bclc.com/documents/GroupAgreement.pdf)!! A few months ago a group of 9 workers at an A&W fast food restaurant won $15 million dollars. within 48 hours another 2 coworkers said they were in the pool, and then within another 2 days another 2 workers said they were entitled to the winnings. So basically we let the courts decide. If the original 9 were smart they probably should have split the prize 13 ways, because even if they win their case I’m sure their lawyers fees will end up costing them more than splitting the $15 million.

MtM

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**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-you-won-the-lottery-how-would-you-claim-it/340388/42 "2006-01-20T17:30:23Z")

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> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> Annonymously? Shit, I’d take out a full page ad in the New Jersey Record and New York Times–I AM RICH AND YOU ARE NOT!

Amen. I don’t get why you’d want to be circumspect. How can I sell my soon-to-be-written book, “How to Win the Lottery in Three Easy Steps,” without publicity about my great lottery win?

I mean, please, win scads of cash without bragging about it in an unseemly fashion? I’m an American, damnit! It’s my constitutional right!

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-you-won-the-lottery-how-would-you-claim-it/340388/43 "2006-01-20T18:17:40Z")

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> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> There’s still income tax to be paid at the end of the year, correct?

No. Lottery wins in Canada are tax free. I believe you may have to pay a small withholding tax when you receive gigantic amounts of dough, like 3%, but you get it back, IIRC.

Basically, if you win $20 million, you get $20 million, end of story.

The rationale, I believe, is that the government’s running the game and makes all the profit anyway.

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