# You find a winning lottery ticket, along with a stranger's ID. What are you most likely to do. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229 "2011-01-27T20:30:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/41 "2011-01-28T06:18:04Z")
The rules are quite clear, the ticket belongs only to whoever signs it, and turns it in. The person who owns the wallet, owns the wallet, carrying a ticket that as yet belongs to no one. Except the person who signs it. That would be me. ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/42 "2011-01-28T06:48:56Z")
sign the ticket, cash it, return the wallet and anonymously send him a substantial amount of cash! ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/43 "2011-01-28T11:34:42Z")
Finders keepers. I’d cash that sucker and mail the wallet back (minus the lotto tickets). What’s he gonna do, sue me? I’m a millionaire, I can afford to sue him right back. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/44 "2011-01-28T12:05:49Z")
I don’t think I would give the ticket to the person. I don’t know who they are and I would feel it was unjust if it turned out the person was already fairly wealthy. But I don’t think I would be able to just keep it for myself; I’m comfortable and don’t need the money, and I would feel incredibly guilty about keeping a windfall I don’t need. From my perspective, I am the executor of a large sum of money that has come into my control but I have no right to. I think I would redeem it and give it to a domestic violence shelter and/or disability charity, which need all the help they can get in the Age Of Austerity. I might take £500 to buy myself and my husband a nice dinner, though, even though I can’t square that with my ethics very well. Oh well. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/45 "2011-01-28T12:35:43Z")
Hm, 20 million is over 1,000x what I earn in a given year. You bet your sweet ass I’m signing that ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/46 "2011-01-28T12:45:26Z")
When I found $4,000 on the ground, I turned it in to the police. Maybe I’d do the same here. But I really doubt it. $20 million isn’t just never-worry-about-money-again money. It’s start-a-small-nonprofit-litigation-shop money. It’s my-parents-can-retire-and-my-sister-can-go-to-grad-school money. It’s run-for-public-office-and-swamp-the-airwaves money. It’s _power_ money. I’m keeping the ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/47 "2011-01-28T12:47:23Z")
Agonize over it for days. Then I would probably send it back, put a note on the winning ticket to remind the person to cash it in and aren’t I such a nice helpful person hint hint hint? I couldn’t deal with the guilt and the stress over screwing someone out of their rightful winnings, because I’m kinda neurotic like that. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/48 "2011-01-28T13:23:17Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Cash the damn ticket. Anybody who says otherwise is BS’ing or delusional. Feel free to speak for yourself, but not me. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/49 "2011-01-28T13:32:59Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Agonize over it for days. Then I would probably send it back, put a note on the winning ticket to remind the person to cash it in and aren’t I such a nice helpful person hint hint hint? I couldn’t deal with the guilt and the stress over screwing someone out of their rightful winnings, because I’m kinda neurotic like that. You didn’t screw them, though. They screwed themselves, by dropping their wallet. You’re just declining to un-screw them. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/50 "2011-01-28T14:30:58Z")
I’d cash the ticket. And I know I am a fairly good person, but I am also realistic. That kind of money could help me, my SO, my family, his family. I’d probably send him a little, but of course I’d give some to the family, and since my conscience is going to be irritating me, I’d give some to charity, too. I would mail him back his wallet. There’s not even a guarantee that he remembers what numbers he picked, so he might not even know he was a winner. Yes, it says something about me - it says I am human. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/51 "2011-01-28T14:44:23Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > The rules are quite clear, the ticket belongs only to whoever signs it, and turns it in. The person who owns the wallet, owns the wallet, carrying a ticket that as yet belongs to no one. Except the person who signs it. Can you provide a cite for that? Everything I see says that stolen tickets are void. Your idea that a wallet belongs to the owner but its contents do not is a bit bizarre. In [this](http://gothamist.com/2010/09/18/deli_clerk_tires_to_scam_retiree_ou.php) case an unsigned ticket was deemed to be to the property of the original purchaser, so I’m guessing that you may be a bit confused. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/52 "2011-01-28T14:47:01Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Feel free to speak for yourself, but not me. I’d say an optimistic veiw of humanity would be that one in a thousand might give it back. That’s being _very_ optimistic mind you. The fact the we have less than fifty people posted to this thread as of yet and already a handful have said they would give it back is just bull shit. I’m sorry, but it is. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/53 "2011-01-28T14:54:18Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I have no doubt I would give it back. However, this may be the one time upon returning something that I’d hope for at least a little reward. Saved me the trouble of finding the words. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/54 "2011-01-28T14:54:30Z")
How do I know how the ticket got into the wallet? The person might have swiped it from still another wallet, or stolen it from a poor grandma. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it and the ticket is mine. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/55 "2011-01-28T15:06:45Z")
Honestly, I would deliberately not look at the ticket, specifically to avoid this sort of situation. If I don’t know, I can’t be tempted. If I did find out somehow, I’m sure I’d keep the ticket and set aside a tidy sum to send to the guy anonymously. Assuming he didn’t know that his ticket was a winner, he’d be thrilled to get a few boxes of cash dropped on his doorstep. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/56 "2011-01-28T15:32:42Z")
There was a case in New Jersey where someone claimed she always played the same numbers, which just happened to be the winning numbers, and she just happen to lose the ticket in the parking lot of the store that just happend to sell the one winning ticket. When the store’s video surfaced showing the lady who cashed in the ticket buying a ticket the same time as the winning ticket was sold, it just happened to take the lying wind out of her lying sails. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/57 "2011-01-28T15:32:49Z")
I would not send a big sum of money to the wallet owner. Why fund his revenge-motivated search and destroy army? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/58 "2011-01-28T16:13:45Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > I chose “You left out \_\_\_\_ as an option.” I know your imp of the perverse said you’d look up the numbers. But I swear, I just would never bother. I don’t give a t rat’s ass enough so it wouldnt occur to me. I’d make an effort to return lost property, but I’d never even think to look up the ticket. Me too. Most of the time I can’t even bother to look up the numbers on tickets I bought, so why would I look up one I found? He can have the wallet back and look it up himself. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/59 "2011-01-28T16:22:40Z")
The wallet would go down the nearest storm sewer and I would cash the ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229/60 "2011-01-28T16:26:18Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Because it’s his, not mine. Honour always trumps morality. Seems to me you are applying a moral standard here, just calling it something else. You’re refusing to do something you have the power to do, which clearly would benefit you and which would be very unlikely to harm you in any material way, because the circumstances are unacceptable to you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-find-a-winning-lottery-ticket-along-with-a-strangers-id-what-are-you-most-likely-to-do/569229.md?page=4)