Money Moral Dilemma: Should I split my lottery winnings?

Laurensalive

Yes, I would give this friend something. But maybe buy your friend a gift you know he really wants but will not buy for himself.

debbiesmum

Seriously? You even have to ask the question? You borrow to play the lottery and then don't immediately offer to split your winnings.

Like others I'm really tired of these silly questions? I have defended the Moral Dilemma forum in the past as I responded to one, sent the links to my daugher in Australia to read as she was in a very similar situation (ie is it ethical to ask a charity for a higher starting salary) - only to discover that she was the one who had raised the question in the first place.

HOWEVER, I am getting frustrated with this type of question appearing on what seems like a regular basis.

Scorpio33

Well technically if I gave any money to my friend that was sizeable, they would have to pay tax on it.


That aside, I bought the ticket, I won the money, the money is mine. If you wanted to share the money, it's like saying I'll lend you money to start up a business and then when that business takes off wanting to split that business up.


Morally I expect the friend will found out about the win, and so would treat them to a meal or something they always wanted, but nothing too big.

Mojisola

Scorpio33 wrote: »

Well technically if I gave any money to my friend that was sizeable, they would have to pay tax on it.

Not in the UK.

RuthnJasper

An extra-special birthday present would salve my conscience. But if I was desperate enough to be asking a friend to borrow £2 (and I have been in the past) I would not be spending it on a lottery ticket.

£2-worth of something to eat and drink - which I would share with the friend if needed.

Saetana

How many times have we had this dilemma now? Got to stop clicking on these so-called "money moral dilemmas", its getting really boring

duchy

One of the disadvantages of MSE post sale.
Martin is a trained journalist and it showed.
It all comes from the top and the top now has different standards.

Nattybee

No. But I think you should treat your friend to a nice meal and a few glasses of champagne.

23limegreen

Yes of course you should give something if it's more than a year's salary as you said I think somewhere between £100 - £500 would be nice. You don't wanna lose a friend . How would you feel if it was reversed? Also if it wasn't for your friend you wouldn't have anything so it's better to have something and a friend than all and no friend. Also the kind gesture will probably make the friendship a lot stronger. Good luck and let us know the outcome.

P.s well done on the win. :T

Petra_70

guiriman wrote: »

A bank lent me money to buy my house. I've repaid the bank but when I sold my house I made £200,000 profit, should I share some of the profit with my bank?

Same scenario.

scotsbob wrote: »

A loan is a loan, that's all it is.


You borrowed, you paid back. What you did with the money you borrowed was up to you, nothing to do with your friend.


The winnings are yours.

These 2 ^^^

You are under no obligation to share a penny with your friend; all you need do is give him back the £2 you borrowed.

You could give him say 5% of the winnings as a goodwill gesture if you wish, but you don't HAVE to. So if you got £50K, give him £2.5K. If you won £100K, give him £5K. But I don't see that you owe him anything.

debbiesmum wrote: »

Seriously? You even have to ask the question? You borrow to play the lottery and then don't immediately offer to split your winnings.
.

Why? As people have said above, if you borrowed money from a bank (say you borrowed 10 grand to start up a business,) and within 2 years your business made a million, would you give the bank half of the money you made, or even a quarter or even a tenth?! No of course not; you would just give them back the money you borrowed.

I doubt the friend would expect anything anyway. Why should he?

If the OP is worried, just announce in a few weeks that he won the lottery; but don't let anyone know it was from the ticket he bought from the 'borrowed' money. Make out he won it a couple of weeks later...