Many people might like the idea of that 15 minutes of fame, but it’s the aftermath that makes many regret that press conference.
Now, New Jersey joins a half dozen other states, including Delaware and Maryland, that’ll give winners the option to remain anonymous.
Paulsboro Assemblyman John Burzichelli has worked to get this passed for several years now.
"If they have the good fortune of winning, their life should not be disrupted by strangers or long lost relatives showing up at the door," Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-Paulsboro) told KYW Newsradio. He has worked for a number of years to get the legislation approved.
State lottery officials say they’re developing regulations to put the new law into practice and they anticipate implementing the anonymity angle into future marketing campaigns.
"The beauty of it is it’s all up to the individual," Burzichelli added. "The winner can choose to be very public. The winner can choose to be private."
Of course, this assumes that winners can keep it to themselves. That, in itself, could be a challenge.