When a lottery group wins a big, or even a small, lottery jackpot, I often hear people say “I’m glad it was a group instead of just one person.”. They say “No one needs to have that much money.”. Often these statements are made by people that have purchased their own ticket for that very lottery draw. Sometimes this is said by the people that prior to that lottery draw, had shared their lottery fantasies for what they would do with the money if they were to be the sole winner of a huge jackpot. Why was it okay for “them” to win that huge lottery jackpot on their own ticket? Why then would they say things like “I am glad it was a group” or “No one needs to have that much money.” If it’s okay for them to win solely, why if there is another winner, does it need to be a group? Sure they try to actualize this frame of mind with arguments that a group winning can help more people. I do not believe that the people who make these types of statements about group wins are saying this with a pure heart. I believe that such statements are actually a twisted form of sour grapes.

Group Wins Vs. Individual Wins: Society

Let us examine the benefits to society of group wins vs individual wins. The whole idea that if a group of many people wins a lottery jackpot that it will somehow improve society as a whole is an illusion. What if everyone in the group is a jerk. What if everyone is the group wants to buy Hummers with heavy bass sub-woofer sound systems and drive around your neighborhood at midnight seeing whose sound system is the loudest? What if everyone in the group goes on repeated sex tours to third world countries? What if everyone in that group has a drug or alcohol problem? As such the idea that a group winning the lottery is better for society than an individual is subjective and dependent on the members of the group.

Now say an individual wins and they are able to finance a project that makes the world a better place, or create a business that employs people in need of jobs. Say that individual starts art galleries that give artists a start, or a music venue to help up and coming musicians. Say that individual buys a plantation in a third world country and increases the wages of the workers. Thus the idea that an individual lottery winner is somehow less beneficial to society is also subjective and dependent on that individual.

The very notion that lottery winners of any kind have some higher standard of moral obligation to society is a ludicrous one at best. They played a game that many people play, and they won. Because of this the minds of others go into a sour grapes mode and impose on them this ridiculously high moral obligation to society in regards to their lottery winnings. That imposition is envy and nothing more. If you think a lottery winner should donate to a certain charity then get out your checkbook and donate to that charity yourself.

Group Wins vs Individual Wins: Family And Friends

Winning the lottery is a dream that many people share. Many people win the lottery quite frequently with small prizes, from free tickets, to fifty dollar prizes. The goal however is the Jackpot, that thing that can change people’s lives, the lives of their family, and at times friends. If a lottery group wins a smaller jackpot their lives will only change drastically in the area of how they are perceived by others. A large lottery group winning a small jackpot could really mess up their lives and that of their family simply because of the expectations placed on lottery winners by themselves and others. If the Jackpot is twenty million but your share as a member of a lottery group is only three hundred thousand then you are in for some trouble. Yes, three hundred thousand is a lot of money in some circumstances, but not when your name is paraded around as winning a lottery jackpot. In some areas of North America three hundred thousand is not even enough to buy a decent house. Now, let us say an individual with a modest sized family won that twenty million dollar jackpot, or even a five million dollar jackpot, after taxes. This could have the chance to change the lives of this family for the better. Still there are people who play the lottery themselves and have this twisted form of sour grapes that it’s better for a group to win than a individual with a family to win.

I am happy for anyone that wins as individuals or groups as long as they can live their dream and be happy. However, over the years I have come to a point where I would rather hear a individual or family won instead of a group, simply because of the statement “I’m glad a group won.”. Especially when that statement is coming out of the mouth of someone I know spent fifty dollars on lottery tickets and told me all of the things they were going to do as an individual with their lottery winnings before the draw, hoping they would be the sole winner of that jackpot. Thus making the statement “I’m glad a group won.” one of twisted sour grapes instead of one of happiness for the winners.