Lottery Winner Claims Prize Wearing a Mask

Lottery winners often find that family members and friends they haven’t seen in decades suddenly come knocking at the door. Protecting your identity can help protect your privacy and security following a lottery win. One Jamaican woman took extra care in making sure no long-lost family member would be knocking on the door after she won a major jackpot.

Smiling all the Way to the Bank

The woman, identified only as N. Gray, appeared at a press conference to collect her winnings (approximately 180 million JM, or about $1 million USD in the Super Lotto). And if her smile seemed ‘put on’ that’s because it was! She appeared at the press conference wearing a winking emoji mask.

While this seems like a clever joke, a strange choice, or a little of both, there’s a serious reason she wore the mask; it protects her identity from the public. Experts agree that it’s a smart move for lottery winners to remain anonymous and keep a certain amount of privacy.

Supreme Ventures, the owner of Super Lotto, is legally obligated to share the legal first initial and last name of the winner to ensure integrity and transparency. While she was also obligated to collect her prize at a press briefing, there was no issue with N. Gray covering her face.

Is it Possible in Canada?

Here in Canada, winners of large lottery jackpots must have their full names, city/town of residence and a picture of themselves (often holding a large winner’s “cheque”) released to the public. And no, lottery winners are not allowed to wear a mask in their photo. To be transparent, Canadian lottery authorities want to share information about their winners. They regard it as “being very important in ‘demonstrating integrity’ of their lotto games.” So, while many lottery winners may want to hide their identities to prevent a long-lost relative from knocking at the door after a big win, we won’t have any emoji masks during Canadian lottery claims for now.

Remaining anonymous is the best way to protect yourself from people hounding you for money. If you want to learn about how to protect yourself following a Canadian lottery win, check out our post on Advice for Lottery Winners.

Feature image © Supreme Ventures Ltd

Author: Danielle Mohr

Danielle is a professional copywriter and editor who provides services to Jackpot Lawyer on a contract basis. She has a broad range of experience in business marketing and is highly motivated to help businesses generate leads, increase sales, and promote growth.

Danielle has worked on websites, corporate blogs, and manuals for professionals, trades, government-funded organizations, and international corporations. Her work is driven by a strong passion for continued learning and she enjoys the challenge that comes with forging connections in the digital realm.

Danielle is the owner of Fine Point Writing & Editing based in Edmonton, Alberta.


3 comments on “Lottery Winner Claims Prize Wearing a Mask


  1. Mimi says:

    What if someone non-religious wore a niqab to collect the lottery? They would have no proof that it wasn’t your beliefs that influenced your outfit especially if you wore a matching dress.

    1. Gregory Pang says:

      True, they were have no proof of that.

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