Can You Claim a Jackpot Anonymously?

OLIVER L. Author

Last Updated: April 24th, 2021

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After working in the gambling industry for over a decade, Oliver spotted an opportunity to setup a resource for lottery bettors. CompareTheLotto.com was founded in 2014 and launched a UK site firstly with a South African following shortly after and USA being launched in 2020.

Note: *The following article is purely for fun. It is based on individual opinions and does not constitute advice. The drawing of lottery numbers is entirely random. Please always gamble responsibly. #Ad. Find out more on our How Our Site Works page.

Which states allow lotto jackpot winners to stay anonymous and what is Jackpocket's policy?

Winning a lottery jackpot is an intense rollercoaster ride! After the immediate, unbridled joy, it’s possible that some natural anxieties might start to set in - one of the foremost for some is safeguarding privacy.

Privacy may be something we take for granted at times, but when you land the big bucks, your identity could come under scrutiny from outside influences taking a major interest in your monumental luck.

Some states in the US require you to disclose your identity upon claiming your prize - a law that continues to prove as unpopular for some as it does controversial.

There are states, however, where big winners can claim their windfall anonymously. At the time of writing, they are as follows:

• Arizona
• Delaware
• Georgia
• Kansas
• Maryland
• Michigan (anonymity is only available to in-state Michigan Lottery winners, not multi-state winners.)
• New Jersey
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Texas

Times may be changing, however. Michigan recently introduced a bill that would allow ALL lottery winners to remain anonymous. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Pat Outman, said: "This is all about providing safety and ensuring winners of these types of games do not receive unwanted, possibly dangerous attention".

What is Jackpocket's Policy regarding Anonymity?

Jackpocket have stated that they are understandably always keen to share photos of winners on their blog and popular social media. However they are clear that they always follow all regulations in each state to protect the winner’s anonymity.

It got us thinking - are there any other anonymous wealthy individuals retaining their privacy? We did some digging and found these mysterious fiscal faces:

Banksy: The famous graffiti artist and film-maker is worth a whopping $50million, and the creator has gone to great lengths to ensure their identity remains a secret.

Satoshi Nakamoto: Not a real name, but a username! The founder of Bitcoin's identity remains a tightly kept secret, partly because it's suspected the online currency's value would plummet were it to be revealed. The unknown digital entrepreneur is worth up to $30billion!

Dan Cooper: An alias for what is probably the most audacious criminals in human history. On Thanksgiving in 1971, a man identified himself as Dan Cooper and bought a ticket from Portland to Seattle. Midway through the flight, Cooper calmly slipped a note to a flight attendant, informing her that he had a bomb and ask that she relay his demands ($200,000, parachutes, and the refueling of the plane on landing). After the passengers were released at Seattle, he forced the pilot and crew to take off again, with parachutes and money in tow. The crew was ordered into the cockpit with the door fastened shut. Meanwhile, mid-flight, Mr Cooper opened the door and parachuted to an uncertain fate. Nobody knows if he survived the fall, who Mr Cooper is, or if the money was ever recovered.