Whether to be open about winning the lottery or not is entirely up to the individual winner, but most people agree it’s best to remain discreet after a major win. Keeping the news to themselves will help protect the privacy of the winner and keep them away from people who might try to take advantage of the wealth, such as thieves or snatchers.

In the US, lotteries are operated by states and territories. While there is no federal lottery, some states cooperate to organize games with larger jackpots. Typically, the winnings are paid out as one-time payments or annuity payments. The choice depends on the winner’s preference and how they want to manage their money, as well as how much income taxes will be withheld.

If you are curious about finding out if someone has won the lottery and how much they won, you can check with the state lottery website. Most lottery websites have information about recent winners and how they won their prize. There are also apps for lottery players that allow them to view past results and current jackpots.

Lottery organizers have to convince players that the game is legitimate, which is a difficult task, given that people are already used to the notion of getting rich quick in a variety of other ways. Despite this, the message they try to convey is that it’s okay to play the lottery as long as you do it responsibly.