But after a moment, he *added: “I heard the odds of winning are lower than being struck by lightning. This is just an experience in my life.”
*
*The 66-year-old winner goes behind wife’s back to splurge on luxury car, hot springs, plush resorts; eventually suffers* *identity crisis*
An elderly man in Japan who won 600 million yen (US$3.8 million, N5.5billion) in lottery kept his windfall a secret from his penny-pinching wife so he could live a life of luxury.
According to a Japanese media outlet, The Gold Online, the 66-year-old known as “S” is a retiree from a major manufacturing company.
He and his wife live in Tokyo on a combined monthly pension of 300,000 yen (US$2,000, N2.9million).
With high living costs in the city and the added expense of supporting their two children’s education, they had savings of 27 million yen (US$174,000).
He reportedly spent his days reading newspapers at a local coffee shop, and after breakfast, he would buy a few lottery tickets, each costing 300 yen (US$2).
One day, S was told he had won a large sum and needed to visit the bank where he learned that he had won the grand prize, 600 million yen.
His initial reaction was shock. “This does not feel real. The number is so huge, I am even a bit scared,” he said.
But after a moment, he added: “I heard the odds of winning are lower than being struck by lightning. This is just an experience in my life.”
Instead of telling his wife, who was extremely frugal and managed their finances tightly, S decided to keep the huge win hidden.
His wife had banned him from drinking beer after their marriage, and only allowed the purchase of an old cheap car.
S often complained about her penny-pinching ways and felt embarrassed by her tight control over money.
He told her that he had won only 5 million yen (US$32,000) and would use it for home renovations.
However, in secret, he splurged on a luxury car, booked multiple stays at high-end hot spring resorts, and travelled across Japan, spending 18 million yen (US$116,000) in just six months.
To avoid suspicion, S took the underground every day to the car park where he kept his new car, wore old clothes and distanced himself from his usual social circle.
But his secret lifestyle soon led to feelings of guilt and loneliness.
As he travelled, he often saw other couples with their children and thought about his own family.
He also began recalling painful memories of his father, who had died alone after a divorce and bankruptcy.
He realised that all his negative emotions stemmed from his lottery winnings.
“If this money had been earned through my own efforts, I would be proud of it. But wealth that comes without effort brings up unpleasant memories and shakes my life,” he said.
Eventually, he consulted a financial planner and decided to invest nearly 500 million yen (US$3.2 million) of his winnings into insurance, naming his wife and children as beneficiaries.
He hopes that the money will provide his family with security after he dies.
The man’s story has sparked a discussion on social media.
One online observer said: “For ordinary people, sudden wealth often does not bring happiness, but rather a clash of values and an identity crisis.”