Source : Perth Now news
From lucky numbers to lightning, there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to playing the lottery.
Thousands of Aussies every day purchase lottery tickets and dream of taking home millions, but it seems some punters still buy into false narratives surrounding the celebrated game.
As April Fool’s Day approaches, national lottery corporation The Lott has uncovered the six myths that Australian punters still believe about playing and winning.
Here are the biggest Lotto misconceptions Aussies have:
MYTH ONE: A huge chunk of my winnings will be taken as tax
While movies and TV show jackpot winners being forced to hand the government half their winnings, the reality is vastly different in Australia.
Lottery winnings in Australia are not classed as taxable income, unlike in other countries. This means any lotto winnings are not subjected to income tax.
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) says people must declare certain prizes and awards in their tax return, but this does not apply to “ordinary lotteries” like Powerball or OzLotto.
While it’s wise to seek financial advice on managing jackpot winnings, there is no need to fear losing a portion to tax.
MYTH TWO: I have to reveal my identity if I win
In Australia, you generally do not have to reveal your identity publicly if you score a Lotto jackpot.
Lotterywest and the Lott both follow the Privacy Act 1998, meaning they will not disclose any personal details about a winner without their consent.
The lottery company may ask for some details like suburb for release purposes but no details will be disclosed publicly unless the winner consents.
MYTH THREE: I’m more likely to be struck by lightning than win the lotto
It’s a classic line we’ve all heard — but just how true is it?
Globally, lightning strikes happen a lot more than jackpot wins but not every lightning bolt hits a person.
About 500 Aussies won a major Lotto prize last year while only a handful were struck by lightning — meaning the odds of winning big in an Australian lotto jackpot are slightly better than people might expect.
MYTH FOUR: Some Lotto numbers are just luckier
While there have been some numbers that have helped multiple people win a jackpot, there is no one magic number that guarantees you a million-dollar win.
The lottery is a game of chance, meaning any number could be drawn as the winning digit.
In fact, lottery balls in Australia are regularly weighed at the National Measurement Institute to completely make sure there’s no biases for any number balls!
MYTH FIVE: Only one person can win the Lotto jackpot
Whether you play solo or with a group of mates, your chances of winning the lotto remain the same.
There are no rules banning groups from winning big — and there have been countless cases of a group of Aussies sharing their jackpot win to prove it!
In fact, a group of Mirrabooka workmates just split a $1.2 million windfall just this week after playing the lotto together for three years.
MYTH SIX: Buying a ticket online increases my odds of winning
Whether you buy your ticket from a store or through your phone, the odds of winning a jackpot remain the same.
Research from The Lott shows 60 per cent of jackpot wins were played in-store compared to 40 per cent that were played online.
While many prefer to buy online so Lotterywest can contact them if they win big, punters can link their in-store ticket to their app for the same peace of mind.
