Lotto pool: Told coworkers how much more $ I needed; instantly regretted it.

[catccc]

There's a lotto pool going on at work.  I usually play because it only lasts a round or two before someone else in the country wins.  This time we are 3 rounds in and the organizer is asking for my 4th $10 buy in.

There are winnings from the previous rounds, so technically I have a small fraction of the next round, even if I don't put another $10 into the pot.

So I decided not to put more in, telling my coworkers I only needed $X more to check out of the working world, and instantly reprimanded myself for putting too much info out there.

Did I put too much info out there?!

[lexde]

You can’t I ring the bell. Personally I wouldn’t have said it. But I don’t think it will have any lasting repercussions in your workplace.

[solon]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

[RWD]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

I assume you're being sarcastic. Though if the pool wins big then everyone that joined in could be outta luck if the person that bought the ticket(s) decides they don't want to share.

[Guizmo]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

Bruuh, I heard about a town in Spain that won a pool for the country's biggest lotto. Everyone was a millionaire overnight...except for one dude that did not buy in.

[solon]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

Bruuh, I heard about a town in Spain that won a pool for the country's biggest lotto. Everyone was a millionaire overnight...except for one dude that did not buy in.

Yep. That's what I'm talking about. OP's going to be sorry!

[RWD]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

Bruuh, I heard about a town in Spain that won a pool for the country's biggest lotto. Everyone was a millionaire overnight...except for one dude that did not buy in.

This one? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38407050

[catccc]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

lol!  I'm already in a tiny bit because I played previously.  Since I put into prior pools, and the last pool had a small amount of winnings, I have a small stake in the current pool even if I didn't pony up another $10.  So the last round I put $10 in, as did 10 other people.  We bought $100 of tickets, and won $8.  The $8 will be added to the next pool, and $0.80 of that belongs to me.  So if I don't put $10 into this round, and 9 other people do, we will collectively buy $98 of tickets (9 x $10 = $90, plus the $8).  If we win $750M, I get 0.80/98 of that, which is over $6M.  And all I need is $450K to check out of working.

Except it got crazier and someone else in the office started another bigger pool, so our smaller group abandoned our pool, except to replay the winnings.  So now I'm in for 0.80/$8 for pool one and $10/??? for the second pool.  I guess I look at this like office secret santa.  I don't like it, I'd never do it on my own, but for the sake of office comradery, sure...

Anyway, thanks everyone for your feedback on my big mouth.  I'm sure they've both forgotten by now, because I'm sure they don't really care about my personal financial situation.

[BigHaus89]

It's almost always a bad idea to share your financial details with anyone really. Coworkers, employers, friends, family, etc. Keep that shit to yourself.

[EricL]

In my town several years ago a small company had an employee lottery.  One guy opted out that day to buy a breakfast burrito instead.  Of course that was the day they won.  Everyone else won several hundred thousand dollars each once the winnings were split. 

I wouldn't put that out there as "proof" you should participate - it's totally anecdotal.  But it's something to keep in mind.  And at least you can school everyone else how to keep their winnings.

[Slow2FIRE]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

I assume you're being sarcastic. Though if the pool wins big then everyone that joined in could be outta luck if the person that bought the ticket(s) decides they don't want to share.

assuming the last part is not sarcasm, I believe the courts have already had these type of cases in the past and forced the winner to share the winnings as it was a group purchase.  I think the defendant tried to claim that they bought a separate ticket with their own money outside of the office pool money...

[RWD]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

I assume you're being sarcastic. Though if the pool wins big then everyone that joined in could be outta luck if the person that bought the ticket(s) decides they don't want to share.

assuming the last part is not sarcasm, I believe the courts have already had these type of cases in the past and forced the winner to share the winnings as it was a group purchase.  I think the defendant tried to claim that they bought a separate ticket with their own money outside of the office pool money...

Do you want to have to take someone to court to get your lotto winnings? Better to not have any ambiguity in the first place.

"The parties should sign a written contract, identifying each participant":
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2018/10/17/mega-millions-lottery-office-pool-winners-often-spend-years-court/1673613002/

[Slow2FIRE]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

I assume you're being sarcastic. Though if the pool wins big then everyone that joined in could be outta luck if the person that bought the ticket(s) decides they don't want to share.

assuming the last part is not sarcasm, I believe the courts have already had these type of cases in the past and forced the winner to share the winnings as it was a group purchase.  I think the defendant tried to claim that they bought a separate ticket with their own money outside of the office pool money...

Do you want to have to take someone to court to get your lotto winnings? Better to not have any ambiguity in the first place.

"The parties should sign a written contract, identifying each participant":
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2018/10/17/mega-millions-lottery-office-pool-winners-often-spend-years-court/1673613002/

There you go, get a contract in place!

Thanks for digging up the news story.

[Hellohi]

If the $10 does not effect your fire date I say go for it. ;) JK

[auntie_betty]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

Bruuh, I heard about a town in Spain that won a pool for the country's biggest lotto. Everyone was a millionaire overnight...except for one dude that did not buy in.

I live in Spain and El Gordo is a really big event, on TV for hours (it takes hours to draw all the prizes) and TV crews all over the country poised to swoop as soon as the big prize is drawn - it's announced almost instantly where it was sold. Normally all prize winners are in the same area as they are distributed in batches but you can also have a random number. In 2017 the big prize was won about 40 miles away and a family in the next town won €400,000 last December with a ticket they bought elsewhere.

The annual TV adverts have a sharing/inclusive message and are usually tearjerkers. This one from 2015 is my favourite. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOnrzULj-BE

[Villanelle]

Why didn't you put another $10 in? You can't win if you don't play! You don't want to be the only one reporting to work the next day after the pool wins, do you?

I assume you're being sarcastic. Though if the pool wins big then everyone that joined in could be outta luck if the person that bought the ticket(s) decides they don't want to share.

assuming the last part is not sarcasm, I believe the courts have already had these type of cases in the past and forced the winner to share the winnings as it was a group purchase.  I think the defendant tried to claim that they bought a separate ticket with their own money outside of the office pool money...

Once every few years, when the pool gets huge, my family--parents, sister and her husband, and my husband and me--gets some tickets.  My parents or sister will contact me and ask if I went in, and I'll venmo over $5 or $10 (whatever they decide). 

Brother in law also buys his own tickets.  I don't know if he's a regular player, or if he only buys his own tickets when the pools get huge.  But they always send us photos of the family tickets, so we know which are which, hopefully alleviating any issues, should they have a winning ticket because it will be clear whether it was a family ticket, or a BIL-only ticket.

Seems like it would make sense to do something like this for office pools--send out photos of the tickets (which also assures you they are in fact spending the pooled money on tickets) and include that email a list of who is included and at what amounts.

Also, as far as "but you'll be the only one at work if we win and you don't play", okay.  My workplace will suddenly be quite desperate for employees and have lots of room in payroll.  Unless they are a small business and the owners bought in and win big, they are going to need me.  Sounds like time to negotiate a raise, or at least a bonus.