Woman refuses to share her lottery winnings with family who always excluded her, asks if she's wrong

Many people feel like the black sheep of their families, often overlooked and excluded. However, life can take unexpected turns that change everything. A woman, who had been left out by her family, won a life-changing lottery prize and was later asked to share the winnings. When she refused, her family called her ungrateful. The woman, u/TooGiftid, shared her story on Reddit and asked if she was wrong for not sharing her newfound wealth with them.

"I come from a family of five—my parents, my two siblings and me. Growing up, I was always the 'black sheep.' My siblings were the golden children," shared the 28-year-old middle child. She explained that while she wasn’t outright ignored, she often felt overlooked compared to her siblings. "A few months ago, my family planned a big overseas trip. I found out through my sister’s Instagram posts, not from them directly." When she asked her mom why she wasn't included, her mother simply replied that they thought she wouldn't be interested and were also tight on budget. "It hurt, but I let it go," the woman expressed.

"Fast forward to a month ago: I bought a lottery ticket on a whim and ended up winning a life-changing amount—over $2 million," the woman revealed. She explained that she chose to be prudent with the money, paying off debts, investing and setting aside some for fun. "I didn’t tell my family right away because I didn’t want them to treat me differently." However, they found out about her winnings after she bought a new car, and they were furious that she didn’t offer to share the money. "My mom said it’s selfish to keep all that money to myself when they’re struggling (news to me, given the vacation). My sister hinted that I should pay for her student loans, and my brother outright asked me to buy him a house," the woman added.

The woman told her family that she wasn't obligated to share her money just because they were family. She also pointed out that their treatment of her in the past was hurtful. "I mentioned the trip as an example of how I’ve been excluded. My dad said, 'That was different; this is family money,'" she explained. She continued, "Now they’re all calling me an ungrateful brat and saying I’m ruining the family dynamic." The woman wondered if it was wrong to stand her ground and not give her family any money. Support poured in from commenters who backed her decision, applauding her for standing up for herself.

u/Fearless-Fennel4929 wrote, "This is not 'family money' it’s your money. I’d suggest cutting them off or they’ll probably just keep harassing you for money. They’re just here to use you." u/oberoimuskan commented, "Your family sounds like real opportunists, I think cutting them off is really the way to go, it's your money, not theirs." u/sophie_ema17 remarked, "Yeah, how is her money considered the family's money, unless they all chipped in for the lottery ticket? If she's not considered 'family' enough to be included in a family vacation, then they're not close enough to deserve a share of her personal finances."