Idiots, tell the world and then go into hiding... I thought they wanted the publicity?

Divvies.

Don't believe the hype

i just made that up - cud be a ghetto anthem if i play me cards right

Exactly!  I thought from the onset that it was a bonkers idea to go public..... like a few people said the other day, they should have kept quiet for a few months and then told their family they won 5 million or something, as a way to flash the cash a bit.  They will have to completely start over in another area now, and drag themselves away from their family and friends.  Stupid, just stupid. 

It's true big money wins will change your life- maybe good in the short term, but how long will the elation last? Strong folk will survive but for others only doom and gloom will come in the end.

Exactly Jonesey.  These two are never going to know who their true friends are when they meet new people, and they will soon find that people (old friends and family, and new people in their lives,) will automatically expect them to pay for everything and buy everything for them and give them money whenever they need or want it and so on..... and before long, they will realise that they are being very badly used.  Then when they pluck up the courage to say 'no,' people will say they are being mean and selfish and they will leave them. 

True Cupcake- even if they had kept quiet someone would have said something to the press. Managing a win this big take someone with a hard persona and a definite plan on where to go from here. I hope they manage to get their lives sorted soon as i have often wondered "what if that was me"? I would hate to have to up sticks and run.

I would hate to have to move too Jonesey.  I would like to win, but 161 mill?  No.  About 10??? yes

I am starting to think that maybe £165 million might be better than say £10 million.............

Even the largest of families could all be made millionaires........

With the rest, to lead a normal as possible life,  I think handing over the rest, by hand, and overseeing the expenditure, to a local charity of choice..........

Would make me happy...........

1 million would be enough for me. Any more than that and i would give it away. Rich folk get a complex they are better than everyone else and the super rich are another step up from them.I read somewhere tonight JLo has just accepted a deal to sing at some Eastern Bloc rich gits wedding for a Million dollars.  Saddens me to think of the starving folk on this planet and they are there making this sort of money for a brief appearance. 

I agree Jonesey.  Some rich folk just want to be even richer.

I'm off to bed now BTW, so don't think I am ignorant if I don't answer any posts you put   Bye bye to everyone else too...

I can't say I'm certain about it, but I think Camelot put big prize-winners under a lot of pressure to show themselves and do the "publicity" thing.

I was listening to this couple going on about how they intitially wanted to keep it secret, but now felt it would come out anyway so it was best to come clean, etc, etc, and what struck me was that it was virtually the same thing word-for-word that the couple who won big on the National Lottery a while back said. Thinking about it: nearly everyone says that if they won the lottery, they'd keep mum, and yet pretty much all the big winners have ended-up taking the publicity route anyway. Basically: I think Camelot's knobbled them...

blimey how cynical.. 

sorry but with the amount they've won surely they will see ALL their friends and family right and they'll have no need to ask them for any money. .as was said further down there's enough there to make even the largest family all millionaires.. I know it's what I would do, and any of them still asking after that  ain't worth knowing..

good luck to them I say.  if they are strong people and not quick to make hasty decisions am sure they'll do well ..  I wish them all the best and hope it goes well for them once the initial furore has worn off. . I'm as poor as a church mouse but would never begrudge anybody in this situation .. I am happy for them 

 two things that would put me off publicity are the begging letters and scrutiny.  161mill is a hell of a lot of money but even with the largest of families you could make relatives (and good friends) millionaires or 1/2 millionaires which would surround you with genuine friends (not that this buys them!)  i'd use some of the money to set up a charitable foundation and spend time organising this (cos i am a good girl and would want to work without taking a job from someone who needed it)

It was very naive of them to go public , after winning such a large amount of money. It may have been Camelot putting pressure on them. It would have no doubt came out anyway. It is a large amount of money, i hope they get some peace to enjoy it, and do what they want to do with it.