A 19-year-old UK lottery winner's Reddit post about refusing his parents' demand for half his £4 million prize has drawn significant response on r/AmItheAsshole, with most commenters siding with the winner.
He won approximately £4 million ($5.4 million) from the UK Lotto earlier this year and diversified the winnings across several index funds. He told his parents within a week of winning.
The initial reaction was positive until the parents began planning retirements, holidays, boats and world travel on the assumption of a significant share. He asked how much they expected. "Stone cold face, they say half," he wrote.
Giving half would mean parting with £2 million ($2.7 million). He had planned to give them £750,000 ($1.01M) as a thank-you. They had their own savings. Their mortgage was already paid off. When he proposed £750,000 ($1.01 million) as his contribution, they called him selfish.
The thread attracted significant engagement and the verdict was largely in his favor — with many commenters focusing on the parents' behavior as much as the money itself.
"It's a good rule," one commenter wrote. "But I think a 19-year-old who suddenly has £4,000,000 ($5.4M) is going to struggle to hide it from their parents."
Another user added to their reasoning: "Not just the lotto, if you have money do not tell people. Savings, inheritance, investments, it doesn't matter. There are way too many people that when they find out you have money, the first thing they think about is how to make your money their money."
A third commenter raised the U.S. tax angle, writing, "In the US, all income is taxable unless specifically excluded. That means the lottery winnings are taxable and the lottery losses are not deductible. US tax code screws you every which way."
Lottery winnings in the UK are completely tax-free because the tickets are already taxed at the point of sale. HMRC does not tax the prize itself, hence UK winners receive the full amount with no deductions.
I won $2.4 million on a scratch-off ticket.
— Hazel (@Hazel_qs) May 25, 2026
But instead of celebrating, I decided to test my family first.
For years, I’d been everyone’s emergency ATM.
Car repairs. Rent. Tuition. Medical bills.
So before telling anyone about the money, I pretended I’d lost my warehouse job and…
However, the poster confirmed his winnings are in index funds. Dividend income from stock investments above the £500 allowance in 2025/26 is taxable under UK rules, according to UW Accountancy.
Gifts from lottery winnings are not subject to income tax or capital gains tax at the time of giving. However, if the giver dies within seven years, Inheritance Tax may apply, according to The Online Accountants UK. At 19, that is probably not a concern for his parents, who are 49 and 47.
The original poster had not shared an update as of publication. The thread continued to draw responses from users who said the parents' reaction was a warning sign regardless of the amount offered.
The details above reflect the account shared by the original poster on r/AmItheAsshole. Tax information cited has been sourced from third-party accountancy websites and should not be taken as professional financial or legal advice.
