Lottery winner hides his $30 million jackpot from his wife and child — just so they don't become lazy

A father is always looking out for his family, even with a million dollars in their pocket. Case in point, this man from southern China decided to keep his lottery winning prize of $30 million a secret from his wife and daughter to avoid complacency. He did not reveal his identity during the public awarding ceremony, knowing it would endanger his safety, but his ulterior motives also revolved around his family’s intrinsic well-being. Local news outlet Nanning Evening News picked up the man’s antics, identified as Mr. Li, sparking global intrigue on his intentions, as reported by Fortune.  

Mr. Li bagged a whopping 219 million yuan ($29.9 million) lottery jackpot, but went home pretending everything was normal. He wanted to keep it a secret for as long as possible to prevent his wife and daughter from becoming lazy about their passions and professional ambition. “I didn’t tell my wife and child for fear that they would be too complacent and would not work or work hard in the future,” he later told the local newspaper. Determined in his resolve, Mr. Li had traveled to the lottery office in their regional capital, Nanning, all alone, to claim his hefty jackpot. 

The excitement aside, winning a grand prize while in the public eye can be scary, as it invites significant attention from various groups of people and organizations. By the same token, Mr. Li drove to the capital of Guangxi to collect the lottery jackpot from the headquarters a day after he officially won. Additionally, he disguised himself in a bright yellow costume that stretched right from his head to his toes to conceal his identity from the public. Do not be freaked out by his gesture, as the man has a heart of gold. Mr. Li donated 5 million yuan to charity and collected a total amount of 171.6 million yuan after taxes. However, the lottery winner did not have a solid plan on how he would spend the rest of the prize.

To ensure his safety, Mr. Li stayed in a hotel overnight. “I only slept in a hotel because I was afraid to go out and lose the lottery ticket,” he said. The father had purchased the winning ticket from a small shop in Litang, a town of only 120,000 people, and won with the same numbers he had been picking for years. In China, lottery players have to pick a total of seven numbers, six on a red ball and one on a blue ball. Mr. Li’s numbers were: 2, 15, 19, 26, 27, 29, and 2. The Chinese government runs these lotteries to raise funds for public welfare and sports. The Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) shared the man’s story on X that went viral for its odd undertones. 

One person (@susyhatton) mused, “I wouldn’t say anything to anybody, but there would be signs…” Another (@allureCHANEL) noted, “lmaooo god I’m here again asking for a financial break through cause it’s people hiding millions from their wife & kids.” Someone else (@nicholelukeee) wrote, “I thought it was from the world. So they won’t rob him, but omg this is just beyond me.”

A fellow internet user (@MarieTheBeee) speculated, “This is a divorce waiting to happen. And that alimony? Whew. If he doesn't trust her with money, he needs to quickly divorce her before those funds clear, because either way, that money is gonna destroy the family.”