Winning the lottery is something many individuals dream of, but few actually experience. Though the perception of a lottery winner is someone who buys lavish things, travels, and leads a glamorous, carefree lifestyle, the reality can be very different—at least, according to past winners.
South Australian TikTok user Jayden Clark shared a video where he explained how his family’s lottery win changed him for better… and for worse. In the 6-minute video, Clark discusses what the money meant for his family, the isolation it caused, and the unexpected burdens few people think about when experiencing a significant financial windfall.
On Jan. 6, 2024, @jaydenclark21 posted a video called “Growing up after winning the lottery: Storytime.” In the video, which was captioned “We won the lottery…a decade ago.”
Clark explains how when he was 12, his father used his “lucky numbers” on a local lottery ticket and won, propelling his financially underprivileged family into a new economic sphere. “Overnight, we went from pretty decently poor to multi-millionaires, and life obviously changed from there.”
This financial change was a long-term adjustment. “We were definitely more of the lower-class income,” he says. “We had a home that we were fighting to keep and very much a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle.”
Though the money created opportunities for Clark’s family, they also began feeling massive guilt about “deserving” their winnings, worrying about societal “expectations” of being millionaires, and worse: That something bad might happen to their family because of their newfound wealth, including kidnapping or extortion.
“The experience of winning the lottery gives you no option to be a normal person. You feel like you need to be someone else,” Clark explains.
Not until he came to Los Angeles did Clark feel like he was normal. “So many people with crazy realities here, and crazy journeys,” he relates. “We felt bad we were so lucky.”
The post garnered over 782,000 views and over 27,000 likes in two days’ time.
@jaydenclark21 We won the lottery… a decade ago #storytime #lottery #lotto #storytimevideos #growingup #lotterywinner #family #realitytv #winning #poortorich #gambletok ♬ original sound – Jayden Clark
‘The guilt almost feels like imposter syndrome’
Responses to Clark’s video were generally encouraging, with others discussing what they would do if they won the lottery. Said one commenter: “I’d never tell anyone if I won, especially not my young kids who’ll tell everyone.” Another responded, “I hope this comping up on my fyp means that I will be winning lotto soon lol.”
Other followers praised Clark for talking honestly about his own experience and shared personal stories about the guilt and complexity of coming into money. “Others praised Clark for talking honestly about his own experience. “The guilt almost feels like imposter syndrome,” one commenter said.
‘I wish it never happened’
Clark is not alone in his complicated experience of winning the lottery. Some past winners reveal that it did not change their lives for the better. According to Reader’s Digest, “Whether they win $500 million or $1 million, about 70 percent of lotto winners lose or spend all that money in five years or less.”
Others weren’t able to navigate their new financial circumstance. In 1988, Business Insider reports, William “Bud” Post won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery. Within a year, he was $1 million in debt. “I wish it never happened,” Post said. “It was totally a nightmare.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @JaydenClark21 via direct message on TikTok. The creator did not immediately respond to the request for comment.
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