By Jason Marsh
If you won $19 million, would you share it with your co-workers?
That's the question seven lucky New York state employees arereportedly contemplating after claiming the huge Mega Millions lottery jackpot Thursday. For years, the so-called "Albany Seven" have pooled their money to buy lottery tickets together.
Now that their numbers have come up, they are in a position to share their winnings with five colleagues who had been part of the pool in the past but didn't pitch in this time around.
The idea of sharing a multimillion dollar windfall such as this might seem ludicrous. It surely goes against some longstanding notions we have about human behavior, namely that it's guided by self-interest.
But a recent wave of scientific research suggests it's not such a crazy idea after all. In fact, giving away a portion of their winnings might be a surer route to happiness for the Albany Seven than keeping it all for themselves.
Many psychological studies have found that after our basic needs are met, more money does not necessarily bring us more happiness; it might even impair our ability to enjoy positive experiences in life. What's more, research has shown that lottery winners are no happier than the rest of us, and they get less pleasure from everyday activities.
On the flip side, though, there's a growing body of evidence that people feel a genuine boost of pleasure and happiness when they give to others. Altruism activates the same regions of the brain that light up when we have sex, eat chocolate or indulge in other pleasures, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health. Some research even suggests we feel more happiness when we spend on others than when we spend on ourselves.
Even if they're not aware of these findings, there could be other factors that cause the Albany Seven to share their winnings with their less lucky colleagues.
For one thing, people are significantly more likely to show altruism toward members of their own "group" or "team," perhaps because we identify with members of our own group more than others, and there's a greater chance we'll count on them to return the favor down the line. Co-workers are a good example of such a team, especially in this case, where co-workers pooled their money on the same lottery "team" for years.
Generosity also stems from our deeply rooted sense of fairness. Though we often lament humans' selfishness, a great deal of research shows that we're often willing to share a prize with others, especially when there's reason to believe they deserve at least part of that prize.
This is true even among young children. In a recent study out of Harvard, pairs of 3-year-old kids had to work together to obtain a prize, but only one of the two kids on each team actually got his or her hands on it. Still, that prize winner was overwhelmingly likely to share the prize with the partner, even though he or she didn't have to do so.
These kids seemed guided by a strong, perhaps innate, drive toward fairness and cooperation. Deep down, they knew they should share their spoils — and the Albany Seven might be influenced by the same magnanimous impulses.
But this doesn't mean that they will be. There are definitely some psychological forces working in the opposite direction. For example, in general, research shows that people (incorrectly) assume more money — and more spending on themselves — will make them happier. And research also shows that when we receive an unexpected gift, we often rationalize our good fortune by telling ourselves that we somehow deserve it.
But studies also suggest this way of thinking is a quick ticket to unhappiness. Instead, they show that people are significantly happier when they practice gratitude — when they recognize and appreciate that the gifts they receive in life come from outside themselves, whether through the help of other people, a higher power or plain dumb luck.
Albany Seven, take note: Grateful people are happier, enjoy better health and have stronger relationships.
And what better way to appreciate a gift than to pay it forward?
Jason Marsh is the editor-in-chief of Greater Good, the online magazine published by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. He's also a co-editor of the books "The Compassionate Instinct: The Science of Human Goodness" and "Are We Born Racist? New Insights from Neuroscience and Positive Psychology."
When I was running the office lottery pool, I took an event such as this into account. In the agreement which I drew up, I specified that if the player had joined into the money pool on the previous drawing, and did not make the deadline for the current drawing, they had until the date of the following drawing to pay for that drawing that was missed. This was done in case of illness, injury, or just plain forgetfulness. It was also done for situations such as the one facing the New York Seven. I didn't want to faced with the moral dilema and drama that they are facing. What would happen if they decided to give money to one or two of the people who did not join in, and not the rest. I could see lawsuits popping up like mushrooms. Rules are rules and the people who did not play made the decision not to. They took a chance and blew it. If the members of the winning group feel sorry for them and want to give a share to them, it would have to be a unanimous decision.
Wow I really hope they are not actually thinking this. I play the lotto on a regular basis and if one day I didn't play for whatever reason, and my numbers hit, does that mean I should have a share of the jackpot? Nope that would be my own darn fault!
Would I share a jackpot that no one else chipped in for ? no , I would however give money and gifts to people I care about. If I did win a million dollar jackpot it would be kept very quiet.
If any thing I would give the max that you can give tax free.... I believe it's $12,000 or $13,000.
$19M is a lot of money and I am not a greedy man. I would give money to the guys who didnt participate in that drawing if their resons were genuine.
Stinking attitudes like "I don't feel lucky" or "lottery is a waste of money" would disqualify somebody from my generosity. However if somebody was low on cash or away from the office then sure, I'm giving them $25,000
If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all and you will never make enemies.
Now if someone who plays all the time and not just once in a while and they were sick or on vacation maybe they would be considered apart of the winning group!
But anything other than that the saying goes as follows "No Pay, No Play, No Payday" that's the way the cookie crumbles!
Hell no......they dediced not to play because they didn't feel like they would win so .... ,.NO> what part don't you understand..the N or the O?
This dilemma is why lottery pools stink.
If this office lottery pool has been going for years what about previous pool members that are no longer in that office? They have previously put money in that office pool.
No one deserves nothing who doesn't shake loose with some dough for the drawing ! period.
The winners will be giving up enough amongst close family and friends.I finally just got the person who runs our pool to keep a meticulous list of who paid..not who had good intentions.
I live in Washington State. At the time I ran a Pool, it was for POWERBALL only because we had Megamillions at that time. I would drive down to Oregon and buy tickets for Powerball. I would buy some just for myself, along with the pool tickets. For each drawing, each person that played for that specific drawing would sign a contract I made up. If you did not sign, that meant you did not pay and would not get anything if we did win. The contract also stated that I bought tickets of my own and if they won, the group would not share in those. I ensured that by making copies of the tickets we played with in the pool and gave them out to those playing. Along with a copy of the contract. Now that Washington State has both drawings, I have not done any pools at all.
This is why I don't do pools. Winning a jackpot is enough stress in itself, but to add the stress of being concerned and possibly feeling guilty because so-and-so two cubicles down made the personal decision to sit out the pool that drawing... I'm just not willing to do that.
Posted: Today, 11:11 am – IP Logged <---- 11:11 make a wish....
You gotta play to win, that's just how it goes.
Are you crazy???!!! I take a chance with my hard earned money and another person decides to hold on to their money!!! I don't think so! I'm not particularly feeling lucky when I give up my money but I know I can't win if I don't play no matter how I feel!!! Now, unless the pool play-in money is high and the person didn't have the money, I may consider giving the legal tax amount which I think is $10,000 but everyone in the pool would have to agree and give the same amount; otherwise, you lose just like the millions across the USA that did put money on a ticket and didn't win!!!
you know the 7 who won..........could probably buy the company ........take the people who didn't win (give them management
positions) they had to play in the pool to qualify to get anything........and be done with it !!!!! making it a win win ............
beaudad !!!
I'd evaluate on a case by case basis. Im certainly not a greedy nor mean spirited person. On the other hand Im not a fool either. So, for me to share, Id evaluate each case on its own merit. I can tell you this, if the person(s) are jack-assess, they'd get "NOTHING."
Hell no
my Opinion if your Not My Children, or the parents who taken care of me
no one has a right to my time/effort/money
there's a growing body of evidence that people feel a genuine boost of pleasure and happiness when they give to others
ya i got a charity, its called i have some Kids in near future
and make sure am doing my part to make sure the Human race lives ON forever, that's my only duty i feel as a lottery winner to make sure i do my part for human race lives on forever LOL
, i rather have kids and give them ever thing they need then give 1 peny to anyone else on earth!
i also have a deeply rooted sense of fairness too, but a fairness of whats your's is yours, and i have no right to it, same goes for my stuff, can't touch,
i have seen many so called happyness study's, and 1 point is duh moment for ever study, If you Spend time doing what you enjoy, you are happy
i don't enjoy giving handouts to people who Waste it,
their 1 friend i have had sense i was just a kid, sure hang out with him!. if i had that much money, i would must likly just offer him a job as my personal assistance, he knows me to will , all my likes and dislikes, and my need for prefection.
he be perfect for the job
plus am going to need one anyway with so much shoping and traveling to do, but he be Highly over paid for what work he does do rofl,
he sure earn it thro! even if its the point of spoiling him
, plus i refuse to tell him to hes face i plan to do this if i ever had that much money, sense i don't want to send the msg i would want him to do the same thing to me,
not at all, hell am a leader , not a follower, even if i was paid a lot of money, i sure do my own thing and refuse to do anything i don't want to do,
i work with people, that is teamwork for a goal, but i refuse to be under people. its my way or highway people , if you want to team up, sure, and the few true friends i got, love me for who i really am,
am not someone friend cease of the amount of money he has, am hes friend cease i love hes company!
and i don't want any friends who are with me for anything but fun/company we bring to each other.
so ya, doing what you Enjoy makes you happy great, just not everyone the same, and enjoys giving money away, i enjoy giving money to people I love to death, thats about it thro, i also enjoy giving money to stores to buy whatever i want LOL
NO !
They DID NOT PLAY !
If they wanted to win, they should have played !
Wise people don't share their wife and lottery winnings with nobody.
When I read the article promoting sharing with colleagues it kind of made just a little bit of sense, though in a touchy-feely kinda way.
Then at the end I saw it was written by a professor at the University of California at Berkeley.
So I knew immediately that the whole thing was a bad idea.
It's the same way with legal issues.
If the ACLU is backing or defending something, you know it's not in the best interests of the country, the Constitution or common sense.
I'm glad we have little red flags like that to use as wake up calls.
This story again!
now it's FIVE [5] and not just the one guy? .. c'mon!!!! UNLESS SOMEONE WHO REGULARY PLAYS WAS NOT AT WORK AND WAS CALLED AND TOLD OF THE POOL BEFOREHAND AND THEY SAID, 'PLEASE INCLUDE ME, I WILL GIVE MY MONEY WHEN I COME BACK' - THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE POOL - i've played with pools, then ditched them to do my own thing, then joined another group, then left and went somewhere else .. just because you played with certain people, once, twice, hell even 432,309 times DOES NOT mean that you are owed a gotdayum piece of that pie!!! colleagues borrow money ALL THE TIME from each other for lunch or snacks or whatever .. you mean, none of the FIVE could have said 'hold on, let me go to the atm or let me borrow $2 so i can get in on this'?? ... NOW they want to be a part ... this has nothing to being selfish or being greedy .. we all take chances .. this dollar may be the one .. that dollar may not .. but you have to PUT IN THE DOLLAR TO MAKE IT COUNT!!! some of you are being super generous trying to offer them $10K - $13K gift allowed ... NO NO NO .. they get my stapler and my binder because i'm not coming back .. whatever is in my cubicle, they can have but not a RED CENT of my lottery winnings ... only the person that was NOT IN THE OFFICE AND AGREED TO PAY BACK .. otherwise, there's always a way and CLOSED MOUTHS DON'T GET FED - IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE $2 THEY COULD SIMPLY HAVE SIGNED AN I.O.U [which i've done dozens of times] ... sorry ... that's how the cookie crumbles ..
Has anyone thought that maybe this guy actually played alone. Brought his own tickets and maybe thats why he chose not to play with the group. Because he felt he had already purchased his ticket(s) and if it is the winner he wasn't going to share with the rest of the office.
Something to think about....
If that's the case them Mrs. Karma just kicked another hole in his rump.....Selfishness is what it was if this was the case and it did not work in his favor.
IF YOU DID NOT PLAY...YOU DO NOT GET PAID!!!!
LOL, joshuacloak, there is NO WAY that you could possibly be currently engaging as a perfectionist. You are such a funny commedian. Because a perfectionist would insist on running SPELLCHECK after everything they type, PLUS they would insist on proof reading what they wrote for grammar mistakes before selecting post reply ... even when text isn't in their native language.
Would I share my winnings? depends on many different variables.
first let me start by saying; we don't let just anyone in our pool to begin with.
a history of not paying on time, or not having your numbers ready will get you kicked out
we have had many people come and go in our pool, and we get asked on a regular basis
by an outsider if they can join our team. in most cases the answer is NO!... the main group has stayed together
for 10 years. We don't have have a written contract. but before you going flipping out....
We do have a logbook. (contracts; unless they are notarized are not considered admissible evidence in court
in some states. logbooks on the other hand are.
Now, I know these people well, they are not flakes, or Slackers, they have proved themselves worth their salt
time and time and time again. there in it for the long haul and unless a family member has passed
or they were hospitalized, (God forbid) they would be in the draw.
So Yes I would share my winnings with those individuals
Share the Love!!!!
Well, this is merely ANOTHER journalist writing an article to broadcast their deep seated notions about how net multi-million dollar jackpots should be distributed.
Regardless, as far as we know, NONE of these five co-workers have said anything to anyone other than "congratulations" towards their current/former lottery pool playing coworkers who won. If this is true, than that is the right attitude and I respect that!!! After all, their lottery winning coworkers probably asked EACH of them twice (and even offered to lend) to purchase a $2 drawing ticket. After their decline the pool was hopefully courteous in respecting their wishes to not join the pool.
Plus, if each jackpot winner does quit their job this month or next, that will mean that the city won't have to lay-off someone else, due to their prior budgeting/spending mistakes. Anyhow, this resigning should be viewed as BIG charity from the net multi-million dollar lottery jackpot winner to their community ON A BIG SCALE! Each of these 7 city government workers were probably paid a lot in salary and benefits.
I would share if my colleague or colleagues played. If not, no dice. I am not a Savings & Loan Bank!
I don't know what was being smoked when this article was being written, but I don't want any.....
If these people or anyone who has a large volume of money decide to give it away or share with anyone it is their business not ours.
I would call this a "guilt" article. One of those articles that tries to make you feel guilty for "having" when there are so many that "have not."
This article also goes so far to hint at how the money could be used and what a person may be experiencing and why.
I wish these people lots of peace, privacy, and the utmost best with their lives.
May GOD continue to bless them with perfect health and keep them and their familes wrapped in HIS protection.
My take on it and to answer in as few a words as possible.....HELL NO!
You got to be in it to win it, he was not in it so he gets ziltch, nada, nothing....NUFF SAID!
>Michael
I give you credit for a very interesting consideration.