PENNSYLVANIA, USA — If someone in Pennsylvania is lucky enough to score the winning ticket to Wednesday's $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot, the third largest in the game's history, anonymity is not an option.
However, a bill re-introduced to the Pennsylvania legislature could change that.
Senate Bill 373, which unanimously passed the State Senate in September, would allow lottery winners the choice of keeping their name anonymous.
"If you play the Powerball and you’re the big winner, you have a lot of decisions to make and I think one of those decisions shouldn’t be how you protect your family," said State Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne & Wyoming Counties), the primary sponsor of the bill. "Helping people protect their security, their anonymity and their families that’s the goal of the bill."
Currently, the first name, last name initial, municipality and county of residence of lottery winners are required to be revealed. Under the new law, your name would no longer be required.
Lawmakers say it's a move in the best interest of lottery winners' safety.
"In this day and age where we’re all concerned about identity theft and scams, you become an easy target for individuals to contact you and your families," said State Sen. Baker. "You don’t have the ability to shield you and your family from that if you are disclosed."
New Jersey, Maryland and 16 other states across the country allow their lottery winners to remain anonymous.
Recently, bigger jackpots have become more frequent. This is the first time in Powerball history of back-to-back billion-dollar grand prizes, and less than a year since the game’s biggest jackpot of all-time in November 2022, making it more clear to lawmakers of the importance of anonymity.
"If it happens to a $100,000 winner, imagine what happens potentially to a Powerball winner whose life will completely change," said State Sen. Baker. "It’s just a way that helps protect your financial interests without subjecting you and your family to intense pressure from those who would like to get a piece of your winnings."
People hoping to win Wednesday's big jackpot agree.
"I would stay anonymous," said Katy Grenewalt, a regular lottery player from York. "l think it's a great idea because they're scamming old people, they're going to scam anybody that wins $1.2 billion too."
The Pennsylvania Lottery says the current rules assure the public lottery winners are real people and operate with integrity and transparency, however, they are currently reviewing the proposed legislation.
The bill has been sent to the House for consideration.