Can You Remain Anonymous If You Win The Mega Millions In Idaho?

Tonight's Mega Millions jackpot is worth a ridiculous 800 Million Dollars! That is some serious cash! Actually, the cash option is only worth 404.2 Million Dollars, but still, it's a lot of money.

If you win the big jackpot, the first thing you will do is tell everyone, right? Probably not a good idea. With that much money, you would become an instant target. Someone might quickly slip and fall on your driveway to get some of that cash. You will start hearing from long-lost relatives you didn't know existed, and former acquaintances will suddenly be treating you like you've been best friends for decades.

So, the first thing you should do is find a way to get out of town. Before claiming your money, make arrangements with some trusted people so that once you do claim it, you can disappear. If you lived in Montana or Wyoming, you might not need to be so careful, but you live in the Gem State, where you are not allowed to remain anonymous if you win the lottery.

Idaho is one of 22 states that will make your winnings public record. 21 states allow you to remain completely anonymous, while two states allow you to remain partially anonymous, and the remaining five states don't have a lottery. If you are in Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico, just like in Idaho, you will be subject to public records.

I hope to win big tonight. And if I do, you'll hear about it, but not from me!