Five correct numbers plus two Euro numbers give a lucky winner from Berlin the Eurojackpot: 120 million Euros. Now it’s time: Just don’t lose your nerve.
Becoming President of the USA, marrying a top model or being canonized by the Pope: there are many things that are more likely than hitting the lottery jackpot. That’s why it’s normal for winners to double-check their combination of numbers. Anyone who still thinks they are dreaming can have their win confirmed by the lottery headquarters. The number for this is on the back of the ticket.
Then it’s time to take a deep breath. Because now nothing is really urgent. Sure, at some point you have to go to the responsible lottery headquarters to present the original lottery ticket. However, players have three years to do this after the end of the year in which the prize was earned. The Berlin lottery millionaire consultant Lutz Trabalski would therefore wait until the headlines have died down a bit.
However, it is very important to keep the ticket in a safe place until then. Because that’s the only way lucky people can claim their winnings. Photocopies are not sufficient. The only exception: If you didn’t play anonymously but with a customer card, your winnings will be transferred even if you lost your game receipt. According to Trabalski, this is not the case with the recent Eurojackpot win.
Especially with jackpot winners, the joy of unexpected luck should be huge. Nevertheless, you should think carefully about who you tell about it. “The basic rule is to keep the circle as small as possible,” says Trabalski, “even in the family.” Depending on their age, Trabalski would not tell children at all, for example: “They have a plan for life. They then ask themselves: Why should I even finish my studies?”
But of course, once you start spending, you won’t be able to fly under the radar for long. “It’s always a good idea to say you’ve made an inheritance,” says Trabalski. If you want to stay closer to the truth, you can also look at what other winnings there were and simply justify newer achievements with a smaller lottery win, advises the lottery millionaire advisor. It is important to prepare such a legend before making your first purchase.
Not touching the money at first may be sensible, but it’s certainly not necessarily fun. That’s why Lutz Trabalski always advises winners to take a small amount of the prize and treat themselves to something they wouldn’t otherwise do – “so that this prize is also associated with something nice”. This can be, for example, a high-quality watch, a nice trip or a lavish donation to the charitable organization of your choice.
For the rest, you should make rough plans and then get good financial advice. Trabalski recommends obtaining at least two different offers of financial advice and making sure that your own plans are sufficiently taken into account.
But if you park the money in your account first, you won’t do much wrong either. Most banks no longer charge penalty interest on deposits. The pressure is no longer quite as great to quickly find somewhere else to put the financial cushion.
The lottery millionaire adviser considers it “gross nonsense” to give up the job overnight because of the win – regardless of the amount. Because: “What you don’t want is for winners to uproot themselves,” he says. Most of the social contacts are through work. “You shouldn’t underestimate what the job brings you.” All the people you would like to do something with during the day have to work themselves.
Which of course is an option: step down. Convert your full-time job into a part-time job or even take a break from time to time. There are certainly exceptions to this rule, Trabalski admits. For example, with people who drag themselves to work every morning in agony.
By the way: The state does not touch the lottery prize – even if it is 120 million euros. The money is completely tax-free. However, what is taxable: profits, interest or returns that are generated with the money. And even with an interest rate of 0.5 percent on the overnight money, it can sometimes add up to 600,000 euros a year, for which 150,000 euros in final withholding tax have to be paid. The tax-free lump sum on capital gains of 801 euros is not really significant in the sums.
